


Emancipation

by CeceAsh



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Slavery, Domestic Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-28
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-03-09 12:18:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 38
Words: 107,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3249422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CeceAsh/pseuds/CeceAsh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world in which slavery is lawful, Carmilla has just turned seventeen, the legal age of an adult, which means that she can now own a slave. Going to the auction house with her mother, she ends up finding a girl that she hopes will be able to fill the void in her heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day 1, Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PSA: This story is classified in the Archive Warnings as rape/non-con, but THERE IS NO RAPE. It's classified as noncon because of the slavery aspect, but in no way is Laura ever forced to do anything intimate against her will in the entire story.

Carmilla stepped into the air-conditioned auction house for the first time as a legal adult. It was quite a rush, to be honest. Sure, she’s been there more times than she can count, but this time it was for her. It’s finally the moment that she’s been waiting for since she learned that one day she would be lucky enough to own a slave, due to the fact that her family was quite rich and powerful. Looking around the familiar facility, she couldn’t calm her excited heartbeat in her chest. The only thing that she wished were different was the fact that her mother insisted on accompanying her for this occasion (which was a bit weird when picking out a future sexual partner), and she was certain to give her unwanted opinion. But Carmilla knew she’d get through it, though tight-lipped, because she wasn’t the one paying. 

Technically Carmilla could pay for herself with no problem, what with the small fortune she’d inherited when her grandmother died a few years back, it wouldn’t even come close to making a dent in her savings. But this was her gift for her seventeenth birthday, and by no means was she going to complain about that. Unsurprisingly, her mother took the lead as soon as they entered and headed to the right of the large arena, weaving through the crowds of people that were milling around and talking. There were four separate stages in the four corners, two for girls and boys that were being auctioned off as workers, whether it be labor intensive, or just household helpers. And the other two for girls and boys that were being sold off as personal slaves, which entailed anything from household chores, to being a sexual partner. 

Carmilla was here to get herself a personal slave. They were also known as “pets”, but even she thought that was a bit too dehumanizing. She wasn’t going to treat another human being like a dog, which she was outspoken about...and that irritated her mother to no end, getting her more than a few lectures about it in the past. She had grown up being taught that slaves were the lowest of low. The poor who had nothing to contribute to society but their bodies as puppets for the rich. And while annoying her mother amused her, Carmilla truly didn’t believe most of the things people of her stature were taught. If she hadn’t wanted a companion so badly, she would probably be against the entire slave culture. But still, here she was. Maybe that made her as bad as her mother. She really hoped not.

They were very different. In fact, so different that Carmilla wouldn’t be surprised to find out if she was adopted. Or maybe she just had inherited all of her biological father’s attributes instead. But that was something that she probably would never know for sure. That information had been purposefully kept from her all these years, and that just made her curiosity grow and grow. And no matter how much she asked, nicely even, her mother always denied her. Part of her thinks that it’s because her father left and her mother was, and still is, embarrassed about it. That really seemed to be the only viable option. If he had died, she could have just said that. But no, there was this weird control aspect about it and everything when it came to her mother. Carmilla wondered if she’d always been that way.

Shaking her head, she cleared her mind of all those annoying questions that swirled around in her brain on a frequent basis. This was her time. She could uselessly ponder over her mommy issues another day. For once, this was about her. Her right. Her choice. Though, she really was coming into this not knowing what the heck kind of girl she was looking for. Sure, she had spent years thinking about this very day, but never had she had a specific thing in her mind that she wanted. Looks wise, mostly. She knew the type of personality she wanted. Someone smart, well-read, so they could have intelligent conversations. Someone not afraid to speak her mind, because the constant emotionless and strict obedience of the slaves she’d been around her entire life had done nothing but bore her. 

She wanted someone to challenge her. To tell her when she’s wrong. To tell her their opinions. Basically, she wanted everything that her mother had told her not to look for in a slave. But as always, their opinions differed on the topic, much like everything else they’ve ever talked about. Because of that, there was this...hole inside of her that ached to be filled. She wanted to love someone and feel like she was loved back. Yeah, she knew her mother cared about her, but caring and loving were two completely different things. At least in her mind. The older woman never tried to understand her or get to know her. They shared the same space, but rarely crossed paths. She felt like she was living with a stranger, even after all these years, she truly didn’t know much about the woman that gave birth to her. 

The only time they really spent any time together was at the auction house. And that was mainly to show her the ropes of how things worked. Letting out a sigh, they finally found two seats near the girl’s personal slave stage, and sat down on the cold cushions with a ‘puff’. Crossing her legs, her mother took her iPad out of her satchel and opened the app specifically for this slave auction. Once finding the right page and where they were in the list of slaves that were for sale that day, she handed the device over to Carmilla, who was shocked she actually had control now. She flipped through the pages of slaves, who had short bios on how they grew up, what their education level is, and health reports, along with a picture. She could feel her mother looking over her shoulder as she swiped page after page. 

None sparked any interest, though her mother was sure to say that she was just being picky, so she kept her thoughts to herself for the moment at least. Sure, being educated was at the top of her ‘must have’ list in her head, but this was going to be someone she was most likely going to have her first sexual experiences with, and maybe it’s shallow of her, but she wanted to at least be attracted to them too. These all were either too skinny (though most the time that wasn’t their fault, whether it because they were poor or had strict owners), or too tall, or she didn’t like their hair color. It was frustrating, going in thinking this was going to be easier than it looked made it all the more irritating. She been through all the pages twice before a notification popped up on the screen, and in bold letters said: 

AuctionHouseStaff (4:37 PM): LAST MINUTE UPDATE: NEW ARRIVALS! WILL NOT APPEAR ON AUCTION STAGE. IF INTERESTED, ASK AN USHER AND THEY WILL ESCORT YOU TO THE BACK. 

She clicked to open the new page and scanned through the info that had just been added to the line-up. There weren’t any pictures, but there were very short bios. Age, hair color, eye color, health status, and education level. There were two brunettes, one redhead, one dirty blonde, and one raven. There was something different about these girls though, that Carmilla noticed right off the bat whilst reading, not even needing to see them in front of her to confirm it. Their health histories were squeaky clean, not even a box check-marked for something as small as chicken pox (which was still a totally normal thing for a child to have, no matter if you in the lower class, middle class, or upper class). And not to mention that all of their education levels were high school. These two things indicated one thing. They were fresh meat.

Also know as "pure" slaves, as people like her mother frequently called them, were very popular because of that fact. Maybe it was her pretentious side coming out, but like most, she also liked the thought of owning someone that hadn’t been marred by multiple (and probably abusive) owners, or being constantly in and out of the auction house, never getting to have a permanent home. She could sympathize with them, wishing that they didn’t have to go through the constant coming and going, hoping that one day they found someone that wanted to keep them for good. That’s what she wanted. To find someone and keep them for good. She promised herself a long time ago that she wouldn’t be like her mother, constantly using new slaves then tossing them back like they were toys she didn’t want to play with anymore.

Nudging her mother, who had since looked up and was observing what was going on on the stage in front of them, she brought up the alert again to show her. Once the older woman read it, she nodded and stood, leaving Carmilla to follow her once again. Along with a large crowd of people, the usher lead them behind the stage and down a grey hallway, then opened two large doors. Inside was what looked like a large storage room, with a couple of garage doors to the left, which she assumed the slaves had been dropped off in by a truck not that long ago. After a few minutes, maybe a hundred people had gathered and came piling in before the doors they had come in, closed. There, five girls stood in a line, looking like they had just been picked up from school. It was a little strange, even for an auction house.

Typically the female slaves would be forced to change into the usual garb, a fitting white t-shirt and white shorts. That way none really stood out more than the other, no colors or styles of clothes distracting. They wanted to make sure that people could see what they were paying for. That was it. Practical. And even if Carmilla couldn’t tell by the bios, she would have been able to tell right off the bat just seeing them. Their bodies were full, not skin and bones, suggesting that they were used to being fed well. And their eyes didn’t have that sunken, tired quality to them that came with having been a slave before. No, these girls looked scared. Naïve. Like they had no idea what they were in for. But while four girls looked too frightened to be emotional, there was one girl, head down, eyes shut, crying. 

Carmilla’s eyes raked over the girl, her blonde hair glowing like a halo as the sunlight shined on it as it came through the skylights above. She looked heavenly. Beautiful. Even though she was clearly very upset with her current situation and tears silently running down her face. It gave Carmilla the urge to go over to her and hug her. To tell her that everything was going to be alright. Once an official auction staff member gave them the okay to finally approach the girls, she realized just how much of the crowd was, besides a few women, mostly older men in their forties or higher. She found it creepy. These girls were all eighteen or younger, and they all looked so small and innocent being on display as men circled them like sharks. And when the men started groping at their chests or rears, it made her want to throw up. 

Glancing over to her mother, who was now in a conversation with a salt and pepper-haired man in a spiffy business suit, not paying attention, she decided to take the opportunity to do this by herself. Carmilla stepped forward to get a better look at the girls, even though with the crowds of men blocking her at the moment, did her best to make her way through them. Looking down at the iPad again, she went girl by girl, reading their information, still wondering how they all got here. Even though she tried to focus on each girl individually, she couldn’t help it, her eyes would always be drawn back time and to the tiny blonde. Flipping to her bio page, there really wasn’t much on her, but Carmilla kept hoping that some new information would be added to satiate her curiosity. But to no avail. What you see is what you get.

Her name is Laura Hollis, she’s from Toronto, is seventeen, 5'2'', dirty blonde hair, brown eyes, in excellent health and always has been, and has an education up to twelfth grade, which states it as incomplete, but shows she had a steady 3.8 grade point average all four years. Carmilla wanted to know why exactly she hadn’t finished her schooling, and more importantly, how a girl of her stature had gotten into the slave trade. This was the kind of girl that was supposed to graduate high school and leave for college to make an even better life for herself. Not to be some creepy middle aged man’s “pet”. Walking closer to the girl, who had been shutting out the people around her as she continued to cry, although it looked like it was getting harder and harder for her to hold it in, her bottom lip trembling as she squeezed her eyes shut. 

Carmilla gently shoved a man to the side so she could stand directly in front of the girl, who was even more beautiful up close. Raising her hand, she wiped the left side of the tear-stained cheek. She heard the girl gasp quietly before brown eyes shot up to meet hers. She looked surprised to see a young girl in front of her instead of an older man, and relief seemed to course through her, if only for a few moments, letting her body relax slightly and her tears lay in wait in her eyes. Using the back of her index finger, Carmilla wiped away at the other cheek as well, trying to convey that she was going to be alright. There was just something about her that made Carmilla make the choice in her mind. She wanted her. She wanted to hold this small girl close and whisper reassurances in her ear. She wanted to run her fingers through that soft-looking hair...

“Okay, everyone, the bidding will start in just a moment!” A plump man to the right said as he stood at a podium, interrupting Carmilla’s thoughts. 

Letting her hand fall from the girl’s soft cheek, she turned around and strode purposefully over to her mother, who was still engaged in conversation with the man, but turned to her daughter when she felt her regain her place by her side.

“Ah, my dear…have you found one, or do we have to come back another day?” The older woman asked. 

Handing her mother’s iPad back to her, she replied confidently. “I want the blonde.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) This should go without saying, but I want to clarify: I don't promote slavery in any way. Also, wait until the end of the story before you judge.
> 
> 2) My fanfic Tumblr is ceceash.tumblr.com if you you have any questions, I'll answer them over there.


	2. Day 1, Part 2

There was a long moment when her mother looked up, over Carmilla’s shoulder to see which one she was talking about, then dragged her eyes back to her daughter and stared for a few moments with a look of confusion before scoffing. “The cry-baby? Carmilla, please, you can’t be serious.” 

“Excuse me, Lilita, it was nice catching up with you.” The man next to her said, taking the woman’s hand and kissing it before leaving them to join a group of men. (Wise move on his part. No one wanted to get in the middle of a mother, daughter disagreement.)

And yeah, Carmilla knew this disapprovement was coming, it practically radiated off of her mother. Frankly, she knew even if the girl wasn’t visibly upset, she would try and find another way to convince her this one wasn’t good enough. Again, she wondered why she cared so much when it wasn’t like she would have to tolerate the girl’s presence at all, really. The woman was always coming and going, and if she barely saw her own daughter, she would most likely see the slave even less. So she stood her ground. There was just something in her that was drawn to the tiny girl, and if she let the girl go without a fight, she would regret it.

“I’m serious, mother.” She said, keeping her voice strong.

She sighed. “Darling, we can find you a much better pet. You want a girl that knows her place and whose goal is making you happy. Not some girl that cries her eyes out when she probably got herself into this situation to begin with.”

Carmilla clenched her hands into fists, but kept her emotions from taking over. “You said I could pick the one that I wanted. She’s the one I want.”

Pinching the bridge of her nose, not wanting to get into a fight at the auction house of all places. “Fine. Just don’t come complaining to me when she doesn’t meet your needs.”

“Well, if it isn’t the Karnstein’s…” A male voice came from behind them.

Carmilla didn’t have to turn around to know that it was Will, her ex best friend, now frienemy. Lord, she hates that term, but that really is what he’d become to her. Faking being nice until he wanted something, then would stab you in the back to get it. He’d done it too many times for Carmilla to take, and she finally had to let her only friend go. It had been hard, and if she was honest with herself, she still wasn’t over it, even though their friendship was broken off over a year ago. Now she turned, facing the smug face that had hurt her so badly. She knew he hadn’t changed since the last time she saw him, which was at a party a few months ago. And he seemed to take losing her friendship without batting an eye, which added more salt to the wound. Didn’t she mean anything to anyone?

“Hello, William.” Her mother greeted with half-hearted wave. (She never liked him anyway.)

“What are you doing here, Willy Boy? Don’t you have enough slaves to last you a lifetime?” Carmilla asked with an edge to her voice.

His smirk deepened, showing off his dimples. “Oh, you can never have too many slaves. Besides, I just sold a few in and am looking for some newbies. I love breaking them in.”

Carmilla scoffed with disgust. “Breaking them in, or just breaking them? Because I’m pretty sure you do the latter.”

“See...that’s your problem, Carmilla. You care too much.” He said, lowering his voice.

Maybe she did care too much, but she wasn’t going to apologize for it. Not to her mother (who was suspiciously quiet through this conversation), and especially not to Will. God, she really wanted to punch his lights out, but she took a deep breath, and thankfully was spared of having to reply. The man tapped the microphone at the podium and the crowd’s voices slowly dissipated, turning their attention to him. Will had turn too, and walked a few feet away from them, which Carmilla was thankful for. Now that his eyes weren’t burning into her, it became easier to breathe again and she finally unclenched her fists, instead, stuffing them into her grey hoodie. 

The bidding started from left to right, the two brunettes ended up being bought pretty quickly, and by the same person, which annoyed quite a few people in the crowd. The redhead took a bit longer. As soon as the auctioneer was about to announce the highest bidder, someone would go higher, and so on. Finally, the blonde was next, and Carmilla couldn’t help the anxious feeling in her chest. The numbers started out pretty low, which was surprising because she knows some dudes get off on slaves being upset, and like Will, liked to break them even more. But she wasn’t complaining, her mother was going back and forth with five others for a few minutes before they started to pull out one by one. Then in a completely douchey, yet expected move from Will, he joined in, raising the stakes.

“That little weasel.” Carmilla muttered to herself. 

She knew he was just doing it to make her angry, and well, it was working. But she’d never let him get the satisfaction of seeing it. She took long, deep breaths to keep her cool, and focused on the girl, who was now back to crying full force. 

“This is so childish.” Her mother said, sighing again. “Are you positive you want this girl, Carmilla?”

She tore her eyes away from the blonde and looked up to her mother. “Yes.”

The woman then raised her bid a couple thousand, and Will let out a breathy laugh. “Alright, you win this time, Karnstein.” He said before walking away.

She knew full well that he never wanted the girl. He, as always, just wanted to get under her skin. Thankfully no one bid higher than that, and after a couple seconds of silence, the gavel was pounded, and the announcer moved over a couple feet and with a pencil, marked how much the girl had gone for, writing it on a tag that was already secured around her wrist. Carmilla couldn’t believe it. She was hers. Her heart pounded as the blonde was escorted by a staff member over to them, and she resisted the urge to take the girl in her arms and hug her tightly. Fuck, she internally rolled her eyes at the thought of how desperate that would have looked. Instead, she managed to hold back and gently take a hold of the girl’s wrist and lead them out of the room.

They went to another door down the hallway on the opposite side of the hall. It was a fairly large room, but not as big as the storage area that they were just in. This room had multiple check-out desks on either side, and they walked over to the nearest one. Here, Carmilla’s mother sat her purse on the counter for a moment as she dug around in her purse for her wallet, from which she pulled out a shiny, silver and black card with the auction house’s logo on it in red. The cashier took it and swiped it, and instantly her information popped up on the screen, showing two accounts, now that Carmilla was officially legal.

“Whose name would you like it under?” The lady said, her hand hovering over the keyboard.

“Mine.” Carmilla said quickly. 

The cashier clicked a few more keys and then addressed the blonde, who had her head down and eyes glued to the floor. “Alright…I need your wrist.”

Carmilla, who still hadn’t let go of the girl, moved out of the way and lifted her wrist up. The lady took a handheld device and scanned the barcode. The bio appeared on the screen, identifying her as Laura Hollis, then the lady typed in the amount that she was bought for and hit enter. The transaction was made instantly, and it was official. The blonde...Laura...was officially hers. The register spit out a small receipt, and her mother took it, putting it in her purse, along with her wallet. Leaning forward, the lady grabbed a tiny pair of scissors and cut off the tag on Laura’s wrist. At this point, the girl was shivering, but Carmilla could tell it was actually because she was cold, and not out of fear, as goosebumps rose and spread on her arms. 

Against her better judgement, she wasted no time in taking her hoodie off and putting it around Laura’s shoulders. She looked up in surprise again, and Carmilla wished she could read the other girl’s mind to know what she is thinking behind those beautiful brown eyes. With a nod of encouragement, she helped the girl put her arms in the sleeves and zipped her up. It was an adorable sight to say the least. The hoodie was a little big for her, so it was baggy, but the cutest thing was that the sleeve were too long and ended up covering most of her hands. She couldn’t help but smile down at her as she stuffed her hands in the pockets and lowering her head once again, her blonde hair creating a curtain to hide her face. 

Carmilla reached up and tucked it behind her ear, but that was pointless as it came loose again when the cashier came from around the counter and snapped a collar around her neck, then clipped a leash to it and handed it to Carmilla with a smile. She knew it was normal protocol, and owners were supposed to keep their slaves on leashes at least until they have left the auction house premises, but it still made her angry. They weren’t dogs. They didn’t need leashes to keep from wandering off and getting lost. They didn’t need leashes to teach them their place. But as not to make a scene, she kept her mouth shut and took the leash in her hand, barely holding onto it. She would so much rather be holding the girl’s hand instead.

“Go ahead and have Kirsch drive you home. I’m going to be here a little longer.” Her mother said, then not waiting for an answer before heading back out into the hallway. 

No doubt she would be bringing a new slave home later on. But at this point, she was used to it. Putting her hand on the small of Laura’s back, Carmilla guided her out of the line and towards the back of the room, where there was a door that opened to the outside. She pushed it open and the bright sun came pouring in, blinding her for a moment. Taking her phone out of her pocket with her free hand, she quickly typed out a text to Kirsch, and within a minute, the black car with tinted windows pulled up in front of them. She opened the car door and guided the girl in first, who sat on the seat for a moment before sliding onto her knee on the carpeted floor, her hands in her lap and her eyes down. Carmilla knew that she was just doing what she was supposed to, but it made her stomach churn. 

After buckling herself up, she gently grabbed the girl’s arm and tugged her up back onto the seat. If it were anyone other than Kirsch, she probably would have been reprimanded, but she knew that he also wasn’t the biggest fan of treating slaves like they were animals, so it was okay. Carmilla leaned over the other girl, grabbing the seat belt and buckling her in before ordering Kirsch to take them home. He tipped his hat and pulled away from the curb, and silence filled the space. The hum of the engine soon became background, unnoticible noise when a sniffle broke out. Carmilla glanced back over to the girl, who was crying again, fresh tears slowly making their way down her face. Lifting her lower body off of the seat, she reached back and pulled a tissue out of the back pocket of her black skinny jeans.

Folding it twice to make a rectangle, she held her hand out in front of the girl for her to take it. The action made her jump, like she had expecting a blow to come her way. After realizing that it was just an offering, she slowly took it out of Carmilla’s hand and wiped both her her cheeks before blowing her nose. There was so much that she wanted to say, but didn’t know exactly how, so the silence continued to be a bit awkward. But maybe that was for the better. The back of a car really wasn’t the best place to have a serious talk anyway. So for the full thirty minute car ride back to the Karnstein Estate, no one said a word. Though Carmilla’s head was full of voices. Her own conscious trying to put together the words to explain everything to Laura, and the words of her mother, which kept annoyingly popping up, telling her how she’s already doing everything wrong.

She hadn’t even realized they got through the gate, up the gravel driveway and pulled in front of the door until the car jerked to a stop, sitting in the shadow of the huge, old, gray, stone mansion. It looked cold on the outside, like a tombstone, really, but on the inside it was surprisingly warm. Not a homey warm, but it was filled with cozy old furniture, fireplaces, and worn books that brought her comfort, for whatever reason. Getting out, she kept her side of the door open so Laura could follow. Once she was out, Carmilla unclipped the leash and wrapped it around her hand, not having anywhere to put it for the moment, and took the girl’s hand in hers, leading her up the steps and in through the front door that opened right when she was about to retrieve her key.

There stood Perry, the curly-haired redhead servant that she had known for years, smiling tightly as she ushered the two of them inside and closed the door behind them. Not needing anything at the moment, Carmilla waved her off and lead Laura the two flights of stairs to her bedroom. She could see that the blonde looked awestruck at the sheer size and decor of the mansion, and she wondered what kind of home she had lived in before. There was just so much she wanted to know, but she doubted the girl wanted to be bombarded so soon. She would wait a few days for everything to sink in and settle before trying to get this girl’s life story. If she would tell it that is, she wasn’t going to force it out of her if she didn’t want to talk about it.

Carmilla’s room was a little different from the other rooms in the mansion. She still had old furniture, but the scheme was black and silver. And instead of famous pieces of art, or personal pictures hung on the walls, she had put up her own paintings that she’d done a few years back. They didn’t really go with the aesthetic of the room, let alone the rest of the mansion, but she was proud of them, and she had hated having bare walls. Turning around, she closed the door behind her and instantly taking the leash, that was still in her hand, and throwing it in the waste basket. Hopefully this would also show Laura that she wasn’t going to be like the owners that she’d probably heard about. She was going to be as good as she could be to this girl. But Lord help her, she really had no idea what the fuck she was doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fanfic Tumblr is ceceash.tumblr.com if you you have any questions, I'll answer them over there.


	3. Day 1, Part 3

Carmilla hated awkward silences, which was happening in full-force right now. Both girls just standing there in the middle of the room a few feet apart. Laura was still staring at the waste basket where the least and collar now lay, and Carmilla was looking right at the blonde. Her eyes were dry now, but were puffy from all the crying she’d done earlier, but that hadn’t made her any less beautiful. The brunette fidgeted with her fingers, not knowing what to say. What exactly was the proper protocol on starting a conversation with someone you just bought? Well, shit. She needed some more time to think. Though really, she’d had years to think about what she could say in this moment, and none of what she fantasized about would coming out of her mouth. 

Clearing her throat, she said the first thing she could think of. “Would you like to shower?”

The girl was barefoot and probably had dirty feet. Not that it was bothering her, but she figured Laura may want to clean up. She guessed that for a slave, being in the auction house was kind of an equivalent to spending a day on an airplane...wanting to wash the smell and grime of being around so many other people off of you. Not saying she smelled or anything. God, even in her head she was a dumbass. Laura took a few moments to answer, but when she did in the form of a hesitant nod, Carmilla was relieved, breathing out a sigh and headed over to her dresser drawer to retrieve fresh clothes. She would have already bought some, but she hadn’t known the size of girl she would be getting. But Laura, although shorter, looked to be about the same size as her. They would do for now.

Taking the clothes, she went into the bathroom, flipping on the light and sat them down on the counter, then exited again. “Take as long as you want. Use whatever you want. I’ll just be...in here.” She gestured around the bedroom.

Moving to the side, she let the girl walk past her slowly, almost as if she was waiting for Carmilla to change her mind, or do something else to her, but looked relieved that nothing happened, and she closed the door behind her. Carmilla wondered what Laura had known about the slave culture before getting into it herself. It depends on where you live in the world, and more importantly, who raised you, when it came to information of how it all worked. It wasn’t something taught in schools. And even then, the main people who were slaves were the poor, and they couldn’t afford to go to school anyway. It was more of a subculture that over the years had made it to the mainstream. It was quite interesting, or at least she thought so.

Once she heard the spray of the shower start, Carmilla turned around, facing the rest of her room and ran her hand through her wavy hair. It only took a second to realize that something was different. Something that had never been there before, and was now glaringly out of place. A cage. How could she have not noticed that before? Well, apart from being distracted by Laura’s presence, she should have seen it right away, it being only a couple free to the right of her bed, sitting there with a little red bow on the top of it. No doubt her mother’s doing. She fucking knew how Carmilla felt about those kinds of things. But she never stopped pushing her. But the thing is, the more she was pushed, the more she wanted to push back. Striding over to the door, she opened it and yelled down the stairs.

“Perry!”

She left the door open, and not waiting to hear if the woman replied or not, and paced back and forth in front of her bed, resisting the urge to hit something. Less than a minute later, the woman appeared in the doorway, chest heaving a little bit from running her way up the flights of stairs.

“What’s the matter, Carmilla?” The redhead asked, obviously worried.

The brunette pointed to the cage, clenching her jaw. “What the frilly Hell is this?”

“Ah, yes. Um, well, your mother had me put it in here while you two were at the auction house.”

“Take it away, please.” She instructed, this time with a more controlled voice. “I don’t want it.”

“Alright. I’ll put it on the storage room just in case you change your mind.”

“I won’t.” She replied darkly, watching the woman pick up the cage and tow it out of the room before she growled, taking off her shoes and throwing them at the closet. “Urgh!”

She changed out of her tight clothes and exchanged them for a baggy shirt and sweatpants, too irked to be bothered to leave her room for the rest of the day. Especially since she wanted to avoid her mother at all costs when she arrived back from the auction house. And it was a good thing that she can’t even recall the last time her mother set foot in her room, so she didn’t have to worry about getting into a fight about that, at least if Perry keeps it to herself that she removed the cage and put it in storage. The redhead was typically on her side, but still, she worked for her mother, not her, so sometimes she wasn’t to be trusted with certain information. She was one of those people that would spill everything when intimidated enough. 

Falling back on her bed, she grabbed her phone and started messing with it. It’s not like she had anyone to text (the only contacts being her mother, Perry, Kirsch, and Will, whose she still hadn’t deleted yet), but she did have quite a few game apps. So she occupied herself, trying to take her anger out on the puzzle game she had yet to beat. She was so into it ten minutes later, that she hadn’t even noticed the bathroom door opening and the blonde stepping out cautiously. To be honest, she’d forgotten that the girl was there at all and jumped at the sight of her moving figure in her peripheral vision. She put her hand over her thudding heart for a minute, taking a few deep breaths before turning her phone screen off and setting it on the nightstand. 

“Come sit.” Carmilla said, patting the end of the bed as she stood. 

The girl obeyed, her bare feet padding across the wood floor before sitting on the edge of the bed with her hands folded in her lap and head down, a few strands of wet hair stuck her the side of her face. She opened to her to say something, but then shut it again. Shit. She’d been too focused on getting rid of the anger about the cage that she hadn’t come up with what to say to Laura. Taking a hold of her computer chair, she swung it around and sat in it in front of the girl, who was stiff as a board. She hoped it was out of nerves rather than fear. The last thing she wanted was for the girl to be afraid of her, because there was no reason to be. Out of everyone in the house, she was the most trustworthy one. But the girl didn’t know her. Yet.

“So...I think we may have started off a bit weird. First of all, you’re at the Karnstein Estate, about thirty minutes from the auction house.”

There. That wasn’t bad. She managed not to stumble over her words. Yeah, this could be a piece of cake. She just had to stop stressing over getting it perfect and just let it be. 

“Oh, and I’m Carmilla. Karnstein.”

She rolled the chair she was on closer to Laura, making the girl’s eyes widen. Crap, she was doing the opposite of what she set out to do. Why did she have to be so poor at basic communication? She wanted to smack herself in the forehead in an attempt to get her brain to work properly, but she had a feeling that wouldn’t go over very well at this moment in time. So she sighed and reached her hands out, face-up, resting on Laura’s knees. She waited for the girl to take them in hers, and when they slid together, the warmth felt so delicious. For a second, Carmilla thought it pathetic that she was so starved for human contact, but it was easier to not berate herself like usual when she rubbed her thumbs over the small, soft hands in hers.

“You don’t have to do that, you know. You can look me in the eyes. Nothing bad will happen.” 

The blonde let out a shaky breath before finally raising her eyes.

Carmilla smiled softly. “So...you’re name is Laura. Or at least that’s what it said on your bio. Would you rather be called something else, like a nickname?”

The girl shook her head to the side.

“Okay. Laura it is, then. You can call me Carmilla. None of that Mistress shit. It’s not for me. However, when my mother is around, ‘Miss’ would be best. She’s more traditional about that stuff, and she’d have a fit it she knew you called me anything but my title. But she’s not around much, so hopefully we won’t have to worry about that, okay?”

Laura nodded, and Carmilla realized that she still hadn’t heard the girl's voice once.

She finally pulled her hands back and awkwardly ran them along the top of her thighs. “You don’t have to have my permission to speak. If you have a comment or question at anytime, you can just say it.”

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but seemed to not have the courage to speak aloud. Then her stomach seemed to do it for her, growling loudly in the silence of the room. 

“Are you hungry?”

Laura nodded again.

“When was the last time you ate?”

The girl took a deep breath. “Yesterday.” She replied quietly.

“Yesterday...jesus, it’s nearly dinner now. Come on, let’s go see what’s in the kitchen.”

Carmilla stood, making the computer chair roll back a few feet, and held her hand out. This time, without as much hesitation, the blonde let hers slid into hers, and she went over to a place in the wall where the paneling wasn’t obstructed by any furniture. She pressed on the wood, and when she pulled back, the door swung open. Since the house was so big, it was a bit of a trip the normal way, so she frequently used the secret passage ways. Which really were for servants back in the day, and well, they kind of still were since Perry used them too, but it was something that really came in handy. Especially because she was a bit lazy most of the time. The downfall of living in a huge mansion: everything was so fucking far away.

Flipping on a switch just inside of the secret doorway, the stairwell lit up. The steps were made of the same kind of gray stone the outside was built with, so she always made sure to be careful. Falling down normal wood stairs was dangerous enough, but if she fell on these, she was more likely to kill herself. Two floors and a few minutes later, she opened the door at the bottom and they stepped out into the walk-in pantry, which as usual, was filled to the brim with pretty much anything she could want. It was nice, but she had to admit, she kind of liked baking herself. Which is why she typically did it in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep. No interruptions from Perry, who always wanted to help. Or her mother, who always said to leave it to the servants.

Emerging from the pantry, both girls found the redhead looking into the fridge, one hand on the bulky door and one on her hip. “Carmilla, did you drink the last of the milk?” She asked, eyes still looking around the inside of the fridge.

“Oh. Yeah...” She admitted, remembering how she forgot to write it down on the grocery list. “I made some chocolate milk last night.”

She could have sworn she saw Laura give a hint of a smile at that out of the corner of her eye, which made her happy. 

“What am I going to do with you.” Perry muttered, then went over to the counter, taking ahold of a piece of paper and pen, scribbling a few things down before turning back to the girls. “So, what were you wanting for dinner?”

Carmilla shrugged. “I don’t know.”

The redhead shook her head. “Helpful as always.” 

“I try.” She smirked, pulling Laura over to the stools so they could sit, then turned to her, bumping her knee against her leg in a playful nudge. “Anything in particular you want?”

Laura looked wide-eyed, like she was panicked, then shook her head. Yeah, they would have to work on the communication thing, but for now it was okay. The girl was in a completely new environment with strangers, of course she needed some time to get comfortable.

“Something fast. Laura hasn’t eaten since yesterday.” Carmilla said, turning back to face Perry.

“My goodness, you poor thing!” She exclaimed. “We have everything to make sandwiches, how does that sound?”

“Yeah?” Carmilla raised her eyebrows at Laura.

Not surprisingly, she nodded.

“What kind, dear? We have roast beef, chicken, and....smoked turkey.”

“Turkey.” She replied.

“Coming right up! What about you, Carmilla?” 

“My usual.”

And within just a few minutes, dinner was served. First to Laura, who looked shocked that she was being served before her owner, but with a little push, she started eating. Carmilla soon joined her, thanking Perry before taking a big bite. She hadn’t been particularly hungry when they had come down, but she was the kind of person that would eat if there was food in front of her, even it she wasn’t hungry at all. This time, she mainly wanted Laura to not feel isolated if she was the only one eating, and hey, she wasn’t gonna pass up a good sandwich. For some reason, Perry’s always taste better, even though when she tries to make her own on occasion, it’s never as good. She just didn’t have the magic touch. Just another thing she couldn’t do right.

That thought made her lose what left of an appetite she did have, and put the rest of the sandwich back down on the plate and pushing it away. Glancing over to Laura as she took her last bite, she saw some mayo squeeze out and rest on her upper lips. Carmilla giggled and reached up to the girl’s face, who stiffened at the sight of a hand coming towards her. The brunette smiled, using her thumb to wipe off the condiment. Laura lowered her head, blushing, which only made her that much cuter. It was almost too much for Carmilla to take. All she wanted to do was grab her face and kiss her senseless. But again...too fast. There would be plenty of time for that soon enough, she hoped. Still staring at the girl, she was brought out of her thoughts when she heard the familiar clicking of her mother’s heels coming closer, making her smile diminish instantly.

Crap. So much for avoidance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fanfic Tumblr is ceceash.tumblr.com if you you have any questions, I'll answer them over there.


	4. Day 1, Part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Abuse.

There was a moment in which Carmilla thought that she could possibly grab Laura and make a run for the secret passageway, but when the kitchen door swung open with an ominous creak before her thought was even finished, she knew it would have been a fruitless effort to try anyway. She hated that her mother intimidated her so much that she was willing to run and hide away like a scared child rather than be in the same room with her for a few minutes. But this was also about Laura. She wanted to keep her as far away from her mother as she could, not wanting to ruin anymore of her innocence, which is exactly what would happen. Much like Will, her mother loved to see slaves in pain, whether emotional or physical. And Carmilla would do everything in her power to make sure nothing like that would ever happen to her.

The older woman looked up from her cell phone as she entered, only to stop mid-stride. “Carmilla, you know the rules! No pets in the kitchen.”

Though that rule was broken by the one who made it, and all too frequently. She had walked in on her mother screwing slaves in various places in the kitchen too many times to count (which unfortunately was burned into her brain forever), but hers is the one that’s not allowed to be in here? And when they weren’t even doing anything remotely risqué? Whatever. She didn’t have the energy to fight about that, and she was still mad about the cage that had been put in her room, so an argument would definitely get bad fast. She never seemed to win those types of fights, so really, why did she try most of the time? She knew, of course. Stubbornness ran in the family. One thing she actually did get from her mother that she prided herself on.

“We were just leaving, anyway.” She said, getting off the stool and snaking an arm around Laura’s waist protectively, guiding her off of her seat as well.

“Perry, you should know better for letting this happen!” 

“I’m sorry, Miss. Won’t happen again.” The redhead said, head bowed.

Carmilla knew that wasn’t the truth, thankfully. But she also knew, just like herself, that Perry had to protect herself. She couldn’t be blamed for that. Even though Perry had been with them for many years, there was no doubt in either of their minds that if her mother was in a particularly bad mood, she could be replaced in an instant. Just the thought of that made Carmilla sad. Perry was the closest thing she had to a friend, and she couldn’t lose her. 

“Leave us.” The woman waved a hand, and the redhead knew better than to stick around any longer. ”Where is her collar?” She asked, once it was just the three of them, stepping forward slowly, predatory look in her eyes.

Carmilla sighed and let her hand slip from Laura, walking around the counter to met her mother, doing her best to keep space between the two. “It’s owner’s decision, and I decided that she didn’t need it.”

The woman’s hand flew through the air and smacked Carmilla on the cheek, echoing loudly in the large room. “I taught you better than this, darling.” 

The familiar sting shot through her cheek, and she did her best to pretend that it didn’t hurt as much as it did. Show no weakness, she chanted in her head. Show no weakness, she’ll feed off it. Clenching her jaw, she turned her head back and looked at the taller woman, who continued talking as if she hadn’t just slapped her daughter across the face.

“Why must you always embarrass yourself, dear?” She said sweetly. “You’re a Karnstein. Act like it.” Letting out a sigh, she grabbed an apple from a fruit bowl to her left and turned on her heel. “It may be owners choice, but you’re in my house, Carmilla. What I say goes.” And with that, she exited the way she came.

Once the door swung shut completely and the clicking of heels could no longer be heard, she spoke softly. “Go up to our room. I’ll be there in a minute.” She said to the blonde behind her, not turning around.

There was no answer from Laura, except for the faint sounds of hesitant bare feet moving across the floor a few moments later. When she was finally alone, she let out a shaky breath and leaned on the counter, gripping it in her hands until her knuckles were white. Finally, she let a tear fall from the side of her face that received the hard slap. God, she hated herself for being so fragile. Her mother was right, she was a Karnstein. And although she hated that fact, why couldn’t she be tougher? Why did she always let people get to her? Anger rippled through her body, and man, she really wanted to punch something. Mainly her mother’s face. She considered heading to the gym, the punching bag calling her name, but she was too tired. All she wanted to do was bury herself in her cushy bed and hibernate.

Clearing her throat, she sniffled and wiped away the tear trail that ran down her face. “Get yourself together.” She muttered under her breath.

She didn’t want Laura to see her like this, either. The girl was already upset, and Carmilla needed to be the strong one. She had promised herself she’d take care of her, not the other way around. So she sucked it up and headed back upstairs, trudging slowly up the two flights of steps, and turning off the light before shutting the secret door. Laura was sitting on the end of the bed in the silence, but it felt deafening. Usually Carmilla loved the quiet, but right now it just made things unnecessarily more awkward. More so than they had been before, and it was already unbearable. So she swiped the TV remote off of her desk and pushed the ON button before setting it on the bed next to Laura.

“Make yourself comfortable. Find something to watch. I’m going to shower.” She said before going over to her drawers and picking out her PJs.

She felt like the ones she had on now were somehow tainted by her mother. Like she tainted everything that she touched. But sometimes Carmilla feels like that too. That everything she touches or starts to hold precious just withers away and crumbles into a pile of ash. She couldn’t let this happen with Laura. She wouldn’t. She was going to strive to be better. To be the person that Laura would hopefully someday find worthy enough to be loved. That’s all she wanted, but it felt like she was asking so much. She should be happy with what she had now. Asking for anything more would be greedy. Selfish. She didn’t want to be selfish when it came to the blonde. 

She sighed again as she closed the bathroom door behind her, setting her fresh clothes on the counter before peeling off the ones she had on, throwing them into the hamper. She started the shower and ran her hand through her dark hair as she waited for it to get warm. She caught a glimpse of her bare arm in the mirror, where she could see faint bruises of fingers and nails on her bicep. It was like her mother was still holding onto her with that clawy grip, digging into her so deeply that Carmilla would always feel her. She wished that it would heal faster, so tired of seeing it by now. But that’s how it went. Once one finally disappeared, there would be another one (or two) to take its place.

Stepping into the shower, she let the steaming hot water pound against her back, burning the pale skin, making it turn a flush pink. Sometimes the pain felt good. And when it was coming from herself, she felt like it was deserved. Like she was making up for something that enduring her mother’s hits, kicks, and words couldn’t. She wasn’t stupid, she knew it wasn’t healthy. But she’d been doing it for so long, it had become second nature. And it wasn’t hurting anyone else, so it was fine. She was always fine in the end. At least her version of that anyway. She didn’t really know what being happy felt like anymore. It had been so long. Long enough to completely forget. Or had she ever been happy? Truly happy?

Maybe she had been, back when life was so simple that the only thing she had to worry about was if her crayons broke, or something. All these questions swirled around her mind, and she didn’t know the answers, which only frustrated her more. After a while, she noticed the water had cooled and didn’t bite at her skin anymore, so she took the shampoo and squeezed it into her hand before lathering it in her hair, scrubbing hard before washing it away. If only all of her problems could be washed down the drain as well. Turning off the water, she wrung her hair and stepped out into the cool air of the bathroom, sending chills down her spine and goosebumps to cover her body before she wrapped a white, fluffy towel around herself, and went about brushing her teeth, avoiding looking in the mirror.

When Carmilla was done, she put her toothbrush back in its holder, dried her body off and slipped into her fresh night clothes, which was some basketball shorts (that her mother hated) and a baseball tee that had CARMILLA 13 in black bold lettering on the back. It had been given to her by Kirsch last Christmas, and even though she knew nothing about baseball, let alone cared, she actually quite liked the gift (especially since it didn’t say her last name, because he knew she wasn’t exactly fond of being a Karnstein, and thirteen was her favorite number). Before she forgot, she bent down to open the cabinet, pulling out a new toothbrush for Laura, tearing it open, throwing the plastic away, and setting it out for her on the side of the sink next to the toothpaste. 

She finally exited the bathroom, after what had felt like an eternity, and found Laura sitting against the headboard, still on top of the covers, watching TV with the remote in between her hands. “I set out a toothbrush for you on the sink, whenever you’re ready for bed.” She said.

The blonde nodded, and held out the remote in her hand for her to take as she walked closer.

She shook her head and picked up her laptop from off of her desk. “Nah, you keep watching what you want.” And then plopped down on the opposite site of the bed, flipping the light switch that turned on the lamp beside Laura, and turning off the overhead light.

Carmilla turned on her computer, and as she was waiting for it to boot up, she looked over the laptop screen to see what Laura was watching. It was a documentary on Animal Planet about sea creatures, which wasn’t totally unexpected. She knew the girl was smart, and now she had a little bit more insight into what she found interesting. Well, either that or there was nothing else on and this was the best option. But she hoped it was the former. If the blonde wasn’t ready to talk yet, then this was the best way to get to know her a little bit more. As her laptop finished booting and her wallpaper appeared, she clicked on the internet browser, opening a new window. This was a thing she did every time her mother hurt her, she Googled available apartments in different places. 

This would be the day, she always thought to herself. The day that she’d take the next step in her life and move out. Away from her mother. Away from the events she was forced to attend, pretending she was the perfect daughter. Away from the hundreds of other people like her mother that she was forced to socialize with and keep her mouth shut about her true feelings about this or that. But as always, the longer she looked at flats in London, condos in Paris, penthouses in New York, or studios in Rome, the more her steam started to run out. It was a nice thought, but it was scary too. She’d never left her home for too long before, and she’d always taken Perry with her. The woman was like a security blanket, allowing her to branch out, but still be close to home in that way. But she didn’t think she could do it on her own.

Sighing, she looked over at the digital clock that now 10:06PM. Time flies when you’re lost in your head. She rubbed her eyes and exited the browser, then closed her laptop and set it on her nightstand. Maybe next time she would actually get the courage to get out of here and get on the next plane to anywhere but here. Getting up, she lifted the covers and slid under them. That seemed to prompt Laura, who got up, used the bathroom, and brushed her teeth before getting in under the covers as well, then turned off the TV and set the remote on the table next to her. But when she leaned over to switch off the lamp, she was stopped by Carmilla’s frantic voice. 

“No!” She nearly shouted, panic-stricken and heart now thudding in her ribcage. Then she realized she made Laura jump from her outburst. “I’m sorry, I didn’t meant to scare you.” She apologized, knowing that she probably looked like a crazy person. “I like to sleep with it on…”

“Okay.” Laura simply replied, which was surprising enough that words seemed to be coming to her a little easier than before, but she also looked at her with such compassion. 

Yes, this girl was much too good for her. And as she lay down, bringing the blanket up to her chest, Carmilla knew then that no matter how much or how hard she tried, this girl was much too close to her to come out unscathed. And she hated herself for damning her. But as the minutes went by and the warmth that radiated from Laura reached her, it helped in making her feel slightly better, even if she didn’t deserve to. The sound of her breathing was calming as well, and she started to let herself be lulled by the rhythm, until she felt a soft hand on her face, gently caressing her now probably bruised cheek. A thumb carefully raked over the contact point before starting to pull away, Carmilla raised hers to the small one, keeping it in place, leaning into it.

“Tell me something. About you.” She mumbled, breaking the silence and opening her eyes to watch the blonde.

Laura bit her lip then whispered. “Like what?”

“Anything. It doesn’t have to be something big. Just...something.”

The girl swallowed nervously and thought to herself for a few moments before answering. “My favorite color is yellow.”

Carmilla smiled, turning her head and kissing the palm of the girl’s hand before entwining their fingers and letting them rest on the bed in the space between them. Yellow. Of course it would be. Laura. Beautiful Laura that glowed like an angel. She was sunshine. She was her sunshine. And maybe, just maybe, she would be bright enough to pull Carmilla out of the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fanfic Tumblr is ceceash.tumblr.com if you you have any questions, I'll answer them over there.


	5. Day 2, Part 1

Laura woke up the next morning just as the sun was rising and peeking through the curtains. It took her a few moments to realize where she was, and why there was a hand in hers, then she remembered what had happened the previous day. She looked over and found Carmilla snuggled up against their intertwined hands, and face smashed into her pillow (of which she was drooling on). Even though her situation absolutely sucked, she couldn’t help but be grateful that she’d been bought by someone like the the brunette. All her life she was taught of the horrible lives slaves had. How owners abused them in every way imaginable. It never really occurred to her that there was some that didn’t. Carmilla had done nothing but try and make her comfortable, and it definitely hadn’t gone unnoticed.

Especially yesterday, when she entered Carmilla’s room for the first time. She had spotted the cage next to the bed right away, and it had made her heart jump. It was quite large. Enough so that it could house a fairly big dog comfortably, but it was still menacing looking. She had been convinced that’s where she would be exiled to live. To be treated like a dog herself. Even though Carmilla had shown her disdain for anything that was considered traditional in the slavery culture, and later on taking a literal hit for not wanting to treat her in such a way. And then when she had exited her shower, it was gone, nowhere to be seen. Relief had rushed through her, and she couldn’t have been more grateful when she was invited to stay in the bed. Yeah, for a brief minute she was worried that it would lead to something else, but Carmilla had not attempted anything.

But she was still scared. She didn’t want to be here in the first place. She had her own life with her own plans. And now it wasn’t hers anymore. It was Carmilla’s. If this were anyone else, there would be no doubt in her mind that she would hate them. If it were anyone else, she’d rather die than be their slave for the rest of her life. But somehow she’d been chosen by a sweet girl, who seemed to only want to make her happy. Laura wondered how such a caring girl had come out as good as she had with what her mother was like. She knew next to nothing about their relationship, but if yesterday evening was anything to go by, it was most likely not very pleasant. She had been more than shocked that someone would just hit their own daughter like it was nothing.

What was even more frightening to think about was...what if it didn’t last? What if Carmilla changed? With the pressure that was obviously coming from her mother, what if one day it just became too much and she snapped, taking it out on her? She really didn’t want to think about that, nor think that could even happen, but she had to think of all the possibilities and be prepared. God, she hated that she had to be prepared. This would typically be the point in which she wished that there was a way to go back in time to somehow prevent this, but there didn’t even seem to be a solution then either. She thought back to when her mother used to say that everything happened for a reason. She used to believe it for the most part, but what was the reason now? What was she gaining from this?

Before she knew it, the tears came, and she separated herself from the brunette, and closed herself off in the bathroom. She missed her mother. She missed her father. She missed her friends. She missed her own home. And the likelihood that she would ever see them again was slim to none. She mourned the fact that she would never get to do what she dreamed about her whole life: going to college, getting a job, being an activist for human rights and working to dismantle the slavery system that was in place. Now, instead, that very thing had claimed her. Just another one of its millions and millions of victims. She briefly thought of running away. She could do that...right? If she waited the the opportune moment. But then she had no idea where she was, and no doubt would have a warrant out on her as soon as she disappeared. She was stuck. But if she had to be stuck, a part of her was glad it was with Carmilla. At least for now.

In the next room, Carmilla woke up with her face buried in her pillow and the hazy memory of a dream (that was actually nice for once), but a cold bed where Laura should be. Stretching, she yawned and resisted the urge to rub her eyes, knowing, and still feeling the pain in her now probably black eye. Looking over, she saw that the bathroom door was closed, so she didn’t feel too abandoned then. When Nature calls, you gotta answer. Sitting up, she leaned over and grabbed the remote from the nightstand, turning on the TV. Checking the weather channel, because she wanted to show Laura around the Estate today. Thankfully it would be warm, Spring making itself more known every day that passed. It’s her favorite time of year, and the only time when she didn’t feel so trapped indoors, and now she had a companion to spend it with.

Picking up her phone, she opened a text window, typed out her message, and waited for a reply.

_Carmilla (9:47AM): Mother still home?_

Her phone vibrated soon after.

_Perry (9:48AM): She left for a meeting earlier, but will be back soon._

Carmilla groaned to herself, then looked back at her phone when it vibrated again.

_Perry (9:48AM): I’m starting breakfast now, be down in a timely manner._

“Yeah, yeah.” She muttered to herself.

Switching off the TV after a few minutes of watching the weekly forecast go by and listening to the soothing instrumental music playing in the background, she tossed the remote to the side and looked back at the bathroom door. Frowning, she hadn’t heard the shower running, nor any noise at all coming from the room, suggesting that no one was in there at all. Just to make sure that the blonde was okay, she got up and knocked lightly on the door, not wanting to startle her. Waiting a few moments, she heard nothing, and was tempted just to open the door, but refrained. She then knocked again, this time calling out to the girl softly.

“Laura? Are you okay?”

There was a muffled sniffle from the other side, and Carmilla’s heart sunk. Turning the door handle, she found it unlocked, and slowly opened it, giving Laura time to protest if she didn’t want her coming in. But the blonde kept silence, apart from her heavy breaths that threatened to turn into full-on sobs at any second.

“Hey.” She said in a soft, concerned manner, taking the few steps over to the girl (who was sitting on the side of the bathtub), until she was bending down front of her. “What’s the matter?”

Carmilla tentatively put her hand on Laura’s knee, rubbing it with sweet affection. The blonde’s bottom lip trembled and she squeezed her eyes shut, burying her face in her hands. She was embarrassed that she was crying in front of her for at least the third time in less than twenty-four hours. If it were anyone else, they surely wouldn’t have put up with it. But Carmilla was being nothing but supportive, even though she had no idea what was going on in her mind. That in itself, made her cry harder. It would be so much easier just to hate her, but it was impossible. Hands touched her forearms, gently rubbing the exposed skin, and after a few minutes, removed them from her face. She could feel how wet her face was, and she no doubt looked like a mess.

Carmilla wasted no time in retrieving a tissue from the box on the counter and wiping her face, before throwing it away and leaning forward. “I’m going to hug you now.”

The brunette positioned herself in between Laura’s legs, arms slipping around her waist, bringing their bodies together. This was the closest they’ve gotten to each other so far, which was sorta funny since they had shared a bed together. But Carmilla had done her best to respect the other girl’s space, even though she wanted to take ahold of her and never let go. To treasure her, like the beautiful gem that she is. She’s never had this kind of intimacy. The kind she’s always craved, but never thought she would actually have. And even though she was comforting Laura, she felt like a part of herself was being mended. That just a small part of the large void in her heart was being filled. It was an overwhelmingly good feeling.

On the other hand, Laura has always been the loving type. She’d grown up that way, and it’s just one of the many traits she’d gotten from her mother. Though she usually only extended her intimate affections toward friends and family, Carmilla seemed to need it, touching her whenever she could. Not that Laura really minded, but it takes some getting used to. She’s still practically a stranger after all. But she let herself take the comfort that was offered, and rested her head in the crook of the girl’s neck. She was warm, and her hair smelled like coconuts. If she wanted to, she could probably fall asleep like this, safe and cocooned. But they couldn’t stay like that forever. The day was only just starting, after all, and she probably was going to do some things today. But a few more moments wouldn’t hurt. Then Carmilla spoke.

“I’m not going to make you talk about it, but just know I have...ears, if you do.”

Laura, despite feeling so many things, smiled into the soft shirt, almost letting out a laugh as she rose her arms to circle Carmilla’s shoulders, whilst thinking that the brunette’s awkwardness was endearing. “Thank you.” She whispered back, barely audible.

Carmilla’s heart skipped a beat when Laura hugged her back, and their bodies were now flush up against each other. She heard a few more sniffles over her shoulder, but they died down over the course of the next few minutes. She had no problem waiting this out, and she happily ran her hand up and down Laura’s back. But then she remembered Perry’s text. And if they weren’t downstairs soon, the redhead would probably have a conniption. Although that would be entertaining, she’d rather not deal with her screechy voice this early in the morning. Giving one last firm hug, she then pulled back, only enough to rest their foreheads together.

“Okay?” She asked.

Laura let out a shaky breath, partly because of the proximity of the other girl, and partly because she was finally getting emotions back under control. She nodded slightly, then took a deep breath, pulling away, rubbing her eyes to get rid of the wetness.

“Come on.” Carmilla stood, holding out her hand. “Breakfast fixes everything.”

Again, Laura smiled, and even knowing that statement wasn’t true, she took the hand in front of her. Once she was pulled up, she grasped the hand in hers, not letting it drop. “Why are you so good to me?” She asked, mostly to herself, but ended up being said out loud.

Carmilla frowned, and made a face like she didn’t understand. “Because that’s how you should be treated.”

Before she could respond, they were making their way down the stairs and exiting through the pantry. Though Laura held back. She was hesitant about entering the kitchen, since it was made clear that no “pets” were allowed. But Carmilla tugged her into the room, which smelled of delicious waffles. Her stomach growled instantly, and her eyes widened at the sight. It looked like heaven on a plate.

“Ah, there you two are! Your mother should be back in about ten minutes, Carmilla.” Perry warned, then lowered her voice. “And you know what she said yesterday…”

“Then we’ll eat out on the patio. It’s a nice day.” She replied, grabbing her plate and leaving Laura to follow her out the sliding door and to a table on the patio, in front of the large swimming pool and view of the backyard.

As soon as they both sat down, Perry brought out a plate of butter and a choice of two syrups. But also had something else in her hand that she cautiously set on the table next to Carmilla. “Um. Your mother left this out for you.”

The brunette set her fork down on the glass table with a clank when she saw it was a collar, and she could feel her blood pressure rising just at the sight of it. She was about to tell Perry off (even though it was nowhere near her fault), when Laura beat her to the punch.

“It’s okay. I’ll put it on.” She said.

Both girls looked at her in surprise. It’s not that she suddenly was okay with the traditional signs of being claimed by someone. Far from it. But she didn’t want Carmilla to receive any more punishment from her mother than she already had. That slap from yesterday was still burned in her brain. And she didn’t dare think of what the woman would do to her if she wasn’t wearing it the next time they crossed paths. If she was so willing to hurt her own daughter, there would be no hesitation in doing worse to her. So she pulled her hair into her hands and held it up so Carmilla could slip the collar around her neck. It took a few moments, and she could tell that the girl really didn’t want to do it. But right now it was for the best.

It clicked into place, and Carmilla loosened it so it wasn’t so tight on her neck. Removing her hands, she took the sight of Laura in. It just didn’t look right, and she wanted nothing more than to rip it off and throw it at her mother. But she knew there would be a worse punishment than yesterday if she saw Laura without it on again. It was so selfish of her, she thought. Can’t even stand up to her mother on this one little thing. Why was it so fucking important to the woman? They were in their house, not out where her uptight friends would see. Clearing her throat, she tried to push it out of her head and focus on the food in front of her. She would just have to make sure that Laura was having enough fun to forget about what was around her neck.

Picking up her fork, she gestured to Laura’s plate. “Now, let’s eat. There are adventures to be had today.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fanfic Tumblr is ceceash.tumblr.com if you you have any questions, I'll answer them over there.


	6. Day 2: Part 2

Laura could feel the collar move against her neck every time she shifted, and when she swallowed it felt like it was getting tighter, constricting her like a snake. It was a feeling she was just going to have to get used to though, as long as Ms. Karnstein was there anyway. She tried her best to focus on the positive: Carmilla showed even more disdain for it than her, so when they were alone, it would no doubt be coming off. Oh, how she couldn’t wait. But until then, she sucked it up and ate her breakfast. A good meal to start off her day right, and boy, it was so darn tasty. Although her family was never poor, the quality of the food they got was nothing compared to this. Only the best for the rich and powerful. A part of her felt bad for enjoying it, knowing how many poor people survive on scraps each day…

She also thought about her Dad, and pondered what he was doing now. Was he sitting at the small, round table in the cozy kitchen, sipping on his black coffee and frowning as he read this morning’s newspaper? That’s normally what he would be doing while she stood at the stove with a spatula in her hand as she fried some eggs and toasted some bread. She wondered if he has been taking care of himself since she’s been gone. He’s always had a hard time with that. Something she learned when her mother died when she was seven and had to take care of him for months before he got back on his feet. She couldn’t imagine how hard it must be for him not knowing exactly what happened to her. But she knew he could probably guess. Most people who go missing, especially girls, are kidnapped and illegally put into slavery. She just never thought it would happen to her. If only she could see him, just once more to make sure that he was okay. To let him know that she was fine...

Carmilla noticed that Laura had stopped eating suddenly, and was now just pushing the last piece of waffle around her plate, drenching it in the sticky syrup. Her gaze was on her plate, but she wondered if the blonde even saw it. Her brow was furrowed, like she was thinking hard about something. She wanted to ask so many questions, but it just didn’t seem like the right time. Not with her mother arriving back home at any moment, where she could hear their conversation and do her best to put a stop to it, saying something like: “That’s not appropriate, Carmilla. Slaves are only to speak when you need to hear a yes or no. Anything else is wildly unnecessary!”. Fuck that. She wanted to know everything there was that made Laura...well, Laura. And they would have plenty of time, once they got away from the house and out further on the property where it could be just them. 

Like clockwork, ten minutes later, Kirsch came walking through the kitchen door, taking his cap off and tucking it under his arm. Her mother was home, and Carmilla automatically tensed just thinking about it. Meanwhile, Perry instantly hopped up from her seat at the counter (where she had been working on eating her own helping of breakfast) and started to fix him some waffles as well. Carmilla could see him and Perry talking back and forth for a minute, before made his way over in the direction, sliding the glass door open, joining her and Laura on the patio. The addition of his presence seemed to pull the blonde out of her head, and as if self consciously realizing what she had been doing, quickly stuffed the last piece of waffle in her mouth, cringing slightly because of all the sweet syrup it had absorbed.

“Hey, sexy ladies.” Kirsch greeted with his signature happy-go-lucky smile.

Carmilla raised an eyebrow, then glanced behind her into the kitchen once more. “Where’s the Wicked Witch?” 

Setting his cap on the table, he pulled out the chair across from the two girls and shrugged. “Don’t know, as soon as I let her out of the car, she disappeared.”

“In a puff of smoke?”

“Ha-ha.” He replied, happily accepting the cup of coffee that Perry offered him before returning to the kitchen. 

“So where did you take her so early in the morning?”

“Graz. Had a meeting with some hot-shot CEO dude.”

“Hm. Wonder what she’s up to...”

“Don’t know, didn’t ask. I was still thinking about how I had to get out of bed at five.” He rubbed his eyes and rolls his neck. “I slept in the car while she was in her meeting. Now I got a crick in my neck.” 

“Perry can help you with that.” Carmilla suggested, then licked her lips, making sure to capture all of the syrup, then turned to Laura. “Done?”

She nodded, and handed the brunette her plate when she reached out for it. Automatically, she followed the girl back into the kitchen as she watched her hand the messy plates to Perry before ushering her up the stairs and back to their room. They both took their respective showers and changed into fresh clothes, Laura still having to wear Carmilla’s, but not that she was complaining. She knows some slaves aren’t given clothes at all, so she is definitely thankfully for whatever she gets. However, Carmilla brings up the fact that they need to go shopping, and will do it tomorrow. She can’t help but be a little bit excited to get out into civilization again. She knows it’s only been two days, but it’s felt so much longer. Most likely because she is used to city life, not the wilderness of Austria. 

From what she’d seen though, it’s quite picturesque. And under any other circumstances, she may even really enjoy the solitude. But when you’re basically being held against your will, it takes most the pleasure out of it. When Carmilla emerges from the bathroom, the first thing that Laura notices is that she’s covered up her black eye. Why, she didn’t really know, since Perry and...the driver she can’t really recall the name of, had already seen it. She almost thought that it was strange they hadn’t mentioned it, but then she realized that it was probably such a regular occurrence that they just tend to ignore it now. That made her more sad for Carmilla But she could tell that the girl would want her pity. Or anyone’s pity, for that matter. So she kept her thoughts to herself, which was becoming the usual now.

As she sat on the end of the bed, she watched Carmilla fiddle around the room. She retrieved a backpack from her closet, along with two light-weight hoodies (of which she seemed to own one in every color of the rainbow), stating that it was still a little cool out with the wind. She had a dark burgundy one, then shyly handed Laura a yellow one. She smiled at the fact that the girl remembered her favorite color, and put it on. Once Carmilla pocketed her cell phone and two water bottles were stuff in the bag as well, they headed back downstairs, only stopping in the kitchen for a moment as she watched the brunette grab some carrots from the fridge and some apples from the fruitbowl on the counter. Throwing them in her backpack and slinging it over her shoulders, she then opened the glass sliding door and they made their way outside. 

Walking past the jacuzzi and pool, which were the fanciest Laura’s ever seen in real life (but also it’s modern look didn’t really seem to fit with the aesthetic of a stone mansion), they made their way over to a dirt path, that soon was enveloped by trees. For the first time since she was here, she felt peaceful. Hearing the birds chirp to one another above them, and the wind making the leaves rustle. She almost let herself get lost in her own little world, until she felt Carmilla’s fingers at her wrist, then sliding down to her palm as if asking permission. Laura was the one to lace their fingers together, and she saw the brunette out of the corner of her eye lower head head and smile. She had a beautiful smile. Hell, she was beautiful all of the time, but especially when she was happy. She was more tragically beautiful when she was sad.

Carmilla let her eyes close, reveling in the feeling of her hand in Laura’s. She just couldn’t get enough. And while that made her feel selfish and greedy, those feelings were pushed away when the blonde had been the one to entwine their fingers. She could almost pretend that they were just two regular girls that were on a normal date. Almost. But she knew no matter how much she tried to forget, it was always in the back of her mind. Laura was her slave. She wasn’t here by choice. And that hurt her heart. It ached for this to be real. For Laura to be hers on her own accord. Wishful thinking at its finest. She was never so lucky. She would trade everything for that. Her money. Her easy life here. All for true love. God, she was so fucking desperate. 

They walked for a good fifteen minutes until the trees thinned out, and Laura spotted what looked like stables. Now the carrots and apples that Carmilla had brought along made sense. She’s never seen a horse in real life before, only on the TV, and she couldn’t help but get excited. They were quite majestic creatures, and she wondered what it would be like to ride one. As they got closer, she could see a couple men around, moving hay from a truck to the inside, or walking a horse out of the stables and to the track not that far away. The way the roof of the building caught the early morning light, and the tall grass swaying in the breeze, it was like something out of a movie. However, the smell she could do without.

“Good morning, Miss Karnstein.” A young man, maybe twenty said as he passed them, tipping his tan baseball hat that read “Karnstein Stables” on it in loopy embroidery. 

“Morning.” She replied, then opened the door to the stables.

Carmilla actually really loved it in here. Sure it smelled of animals, and sometimes poop, but there was just something comforting about sitting in a pile of hay behind the building in the shade and reading a book while the day passed her by. And the sounds from the horses and the workers was comforting. It sometimes beat the silence of the house, and bonus: her mother wouldn’t be caught dead there. They only had the horses for racing. Racing meant possibly winning. Winning meant money. And boy, her mother loved to win. Not that they needed the money at all, having enough to probably feed the entire population of Europe for years. But Carmilla noticed, once you have some, all you want is more. Though she never felt that way herself...thankfully.

The inside looked basically like Laura expected. Nothing too special about it. Down the long hallway she could see horses poking their heads out, and neighing periodically. Wow, they looked so much bigger in real life! Finally releasing her hand, Carmilla slid her backpack off of her shoulders and set it down on the ground, then got out two carrots, handing one to her. Oh God, she was going to feed a horse. She watched, feet rooted in her spot, as Carmilla strolled over to the horse closest to them (whose name plate on the outside read FLASH). He was a beautiful deep-brown horse with a black mane, and was more than happy to have the carrot being offered to him, and his nose rubbed gently. It didn’t take long for the carrot to disappear and he licked Carmilla’s hand after it was gone. 

Next thing she knew, she was being dragged over to the horse across from FLASH (whose name plate read BLACK WIDOW), and she started to sense a theme, wondering who it was that named the horses. But she didn’t have time to think any further than that, Carmilla literally taking her hand and raising it towards the awaiting mouth. She wasn’t ready, the the large teeth coming at her wasn’t exactly reassuring, but when she gently bit off the top of the carrot and chewed, she realized it wasn’t exactly intimidating when it distractingly cute. But she freaked a little bit when the last bit was in her hand, and she quickly moved out of the way, handing it off to Carmilla, who chuckled at her. This process repeated a few times more but with the apples, feeding other horses, and she slowly got more comfortable, but by that time, they were done.

Although watching Laura feed the horses was entertaining, once she ran out of food Carmilla lead the blonde back outside, and they continued their walk on the path. She had never taken anyone up to her favorite spot before, so there was a bundle of nerves inside of her, hoping that Laura would like it. And if she did, then she would definitely bring her back out here at night sometime so they could watch the stars, which seemed so bright in the sky since they were far from the lights of a city. Finally, they climbed an incline of a hill and there a tree stood, looking over the others down below on the other side. It was so plush green and beautiful, and by the look on Laura’s face, she hasn’t ever seen this much greenery in person before.

Setting her backpack down, she took a water bottle out and held it in Laura’s direction. “Thirsty?” She asked.

Laura nodded, and took it, opening it with a snap and taking a drink while watching Carmilla took out and unfolded a blanket, laying it out in the shade of the tree. It was starting to feel like a date to her, but she didn’t know if that’s what the brunette was actually going for. But either way, it was nice, and she sat down on the blanket. Carmilla joined her seconds later, dragging her backpack over and laying down, using it as a pillow, leaving half of it for Laura to use. She scooted over and besides the long embrace during her breakdown that morning, this was the closest they had been to each other. She closed her eyes and breathed deep, the fresh air filling her lungs and the sweet scent of blooming flowers reached her nose. She was lost in it until she felt the collar around her neck unlatch and come off.

She opened her eyes to see Carmilla toss the collar to the edge of the blanket, and she grinned, taking her hand and linked their hands together. They laid there in comfortable silence for what felt like hours before Laura spoke. “Tell me something about you. Something that no one else knows.” 

The brunette’s fingers, that had been gently stroking hers, stilled, and for a good few minutes, Laura thought that she had crossed a line. But it was the opposite. Carmilla had never been asked something like that before, and it took her a little bit to decide whether or not she wanted to divulge one of her secrets that she kept to herself. But this was Laura. If anyone, she imagined that the blonde would understand and not judge her. So she swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest, and admitted something she never thought would ever come out of her mouth.

“Sometimes I’m so lonely, it feels like a black hole is slowly swallowing me up.”

Laura almost cried on the spot, and she could feel her heart ache in her chest. But she held back, guessing Carmilla wasn’t the kind of girl that wanted people to feel sorry for her, especially from someone like her. So she did the next best thing. 

“Well, you don’t have to be lonely anymore.” She said, squeezing Carmilla’s hand in hers to get her point across.

Carmilla held back tears of her own. She already felt for much for this girl, and couldn’t help herself as she leaned over those few inches between them and gave Laura a lingering kiss on her cheek, the corners of their mouths touching. She pulled back a few moments later, resting their foreheads together, and it wasn’t long before they were napping, without a care in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fanfic Tumblr is ceceash.tumblr.com if you you have any questions, I'll answer them over there.


	7. Day 2: Part 3

When she woke up with her head on the girl’s chest, Laura was so comfortable that she never wanted to move. Somehow in the time they were asleep, their hands had parted, and one of Carmilla’s arms was now under her neck and the other resting around her waist. With her head on the girl’s chest, she could hear the heartbeat underneath, strong and steady. For a moment, Laura let herself pretend that she was on a completely normal date with a girl that she liked, laying in a field without a care in the world. Out here, it was like time ceased to exist. If only that were the actual case, she would stay out here forever. She was definitely not looking forward to returning to the mansion that contained the ominous Ms. Karnstein.

“What are you thinking about?” Carmilla’s asked.

Laura stiffened at the sudden voice, but quickly relaxed, though slightly embarrassed to tell the truth. “Just...wishing we could stay like this forever.”

“You and me both, Cupcake.” She sighed, rubbing her thumb on a strip of exposed skin at Laura’s hip.

The blonde tried to ignore the tingles that Carmilla excited in her, but it was hard. It felt good, and no one had ever touched her in the way she’s let the girl do so many times in the last twenty-four hours. That should tell her something. Even if she wasn’t in this situation and had just met Carmilla randomly on the street, she would know that there is something different about her. It’s in the way she talks to her, treats her, looks at her. Like she’s the only one that matters in the world. Laura never imagined that would be something that she’d have. If only for a fleeting moment or two, she embraced it and forgot about how messed up the world is. How messed up her situation is. But for now, she could only hope that the world would progressively get better and better, and one day she would be free.

Carmilla had never felt so relaxed in her life. It was so incredibly easy to forget how much she hated her life (or hated herself) when she had Laura wrapped around her, their breathing matching. She wouldn’t even doubt that their heartbeats were probably in sync too. But thankfully, it was also easy to forget the dull ache below her eye and in her cheek, the healing bruises on her arm, and the scars that marred her skin that would never go away, but if she was lucky, would fade over time. If this is what it felt like to be truly happy, then of course she wanted to stay like this for as long as possible. She knew when to savor things. Moments like this could (and always seemed to) go by much too quickly. While the horrible moments seemed to last hours.

But she pushed that out of her head. This was the alone time she’d wanted to get to know Laura better, so she was going to take full advantage of that. “How did you get here?” She spoke up again, softly. “As in Austria. Since you’re from Toronto and all.”

Laura took a deep breath, then nuzzled her head further into Carmilla’s shoulder. “I was over here looking at a university in Styria.”

Carmilla closed her eyes for a moment. So she _was_ planning on attending college. And now she’s here. Wasting her education. But she had to remind herself that if Laura wasn’t here with her, she would probably be in some middle-aged man’s sex dungeon. She was much better off here. She could give her a comfortable life. A happy life. Though the fact remained that nothing she could give her would even compare to being free. And Carmilla was selfish. If Laura wasn’t here, she would be alone again, and that was something that she couldn’t be. She wouldn’t be able to make it. Once more, she forced herself to shove those thoughts to the back of her mind as best as she could before replying to Laura, doing to her best to not give away how weak she just became, and kept her voice strong.

“Silas? Why would anyone ever want to attend that school? It’s creepy as Hell.”

Laura shrugged. “It was the cheapest. Now I know why, I guess.”

Even if the university was as creepy as Carmilla thought it was, there was still no doubt in Laura’s mind that she still would have attended. She had been bound and determined to get a college education, no matter what. However, ‘no matter what’ had it’s limitations...like slavery. As a slave, even if Carmilla said she could, Laura would not be able to legally. It was against the law, though in some places like Toronto, there were groups of people fighting the laws to get them repealed. It would be an uphill battle, dismantling the system that had been put in place so long ago. But it was still worth fighting for, and she hated that she couldn’t do anything to help. She also wondered about Carmilla and her place in all this...

There are so many questions Laura wanted to ask, but afraid to actually get the answers to. So instead, she tried to just get to know Carmilla on more of a basic level and save the hard-hitting questions for when she was feeling more brave. “Do you have any college plans?”

The brunette let out a short, humorless laugh. “Nah. School was never really my thing.”

Which was true, but Carmilla had been homeschooled all her life, so of course she hated it. Having been stuck in the mansion all day, every day with a stuck-up tutor that annoyed the shit out of her. She’d done everything she could to finish her schooling as soon as possible, working her ass off in the summers and during breaks. It was worth it in the end. She graduated two years earlier than she normally would have, and she didn’t even bother with pleasantries when she said goodbye to her tutor for the last time. Carmilla had drunk heavily that afternoon in celebration, so she didn’t quite remember all of the details, but she knew she flipped the woman off at one point, which had probably earned a gasp or an insulted huff. She wished that part of the memory hadn’t evaded her.

The funny thing is, even though she felt so stuffed up in the mansion for all those years, other than a few short trips with Perry to various places, she still always came back. She hadn’t known why until she truly thought about it. Her fears ruled her actions. Or non-action in this case. Two years after being done with school, and now being seventeen, she was technically an adult, free to leave. To go anywhere her heart desired. But she stayed. The fear of the unknown was more terrifying than anything. Being away from the one place she knew so well. Like it or not, the mansion was her safety blanket, and she didn’t know how to overcome the fear of leaving it behind once and for all. She could dream though, and boy did she, but that was all.

She wondered if maybe it was just meant to be that she stayed. That it was fate, or something like it. Or Karma? Was this her punishment for all the rebellious things she did as a child? She thought her mother had dealt out enough punishment for those a long time ago. But the world worked in mysterious ways, and if the world wanted her to stay right where she is, then she would. She wished she was brave. Like Laura. Little Laura that had come from an entirely different continent just to look at a school. A school that she most likely would have attended come fall. A school that would have educated her further and set her up to get a good job and have a good life. A life that had been taken away from her now. A life that she hadn’t wanted. Just like the mansion was Carmilla’s prison, Carmilla was Laura’s.

She deserved so much better than what Carmilla could give her. She deserved the world, the sun, the moon, the stars. There was just something so angering about the fact that Carmilla could give Laura a good life, but there will always be that little bit that she couldn’t provide. And that’s what ate her up on the inside. No matter how hard she tried, it would never be enough. Whether the blonde would ever voice that fact didn’t matter, because Carmilla already knew, and she was reminded every time she looked at her. It would be a miracle if Laura didn’t grow to hate her. That was the last thing that she wanted, but she wouldn’t blame her if it happened. If they were in each other’s positions, she would hate her owner too.

Carmilla let her arm drop from Laura’s side. It felt wrong to touch her in such a way now, with all the thoughts racing through her mind. The blonde instantly felt the change in the vibe between them. She didn’t know what exactly changed it, but the silence that was in between them now felt heavy, like suddenly the anchor to their ship was lowered and scraping across the bottom of the ocean until it dug its way into the sand. Reaching up, she slid her hand over Carmilla’s that was now resting on her own stomach since she had pulled away. The heart under her ear sped up, and she played with the pale fingers for a few minutes until she was allowed to lace them together once more. Each time they did so, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. And that perplexed Laura.

Wanting to keep getting to know Carmilla, Laura asked the first question that popped into her head. “Has it always just been you and your mother?”

Carmilla was taken by by the suddenness of that particular question, but recovered in a few seconds, nodding softly. “Not counting servants, yes. Perry is the one that’s been with us the longest. She feels like a second mother to me by now.” She replied, though felt like she was lying. In actuality, Perry felt like her only mother most days. And she kind of wished that were true. “What about you?”

Laura hadn’t expected the question to be turned on her. She didn’t talk much about her parental situation, with anyone, really. But Carmilla had started to open up a little more to her, and if was only fair if she shared some as well. “I guess it’s the opposite. My Mom died when I was pretty young, and it’s been my Dad and I since. But I think we did pretty good on our own, even though it wasn’t...optimal.”

“I never knew my father. You’re lucky. You got to have both, even if one was for a short period of time.” Carmilla said in a hoarse voice. This subject was always emotional for her to think about. “It’s like that saying: “Better to have loved and lost, than to have not loved at all”.”

Laura supposed that was true, no matter how much losing her Mom had hurt. Carmilla didn’t get the chance to have loved her father, and she couldn’t imagine how she would have turned out without the love and guidance of her mother for those few years. She was indeed lucky. Having two loving parents seemed like a rarity these days, and seeing how Carmilla’s mother treats her makes her sad. Everyone deserves unconditional love. And she had no doubt that the world would be a much different and better place if that were the norm. But unfortunately, the world doesn’t work that way. It chews you up and spits you out like you’re nothing. Laura’s always had it better than so many people, and never will she take that for granted.

“Do you-” Carmilla halted immediately, letting out a faint squeak.

Laura looked up at her with questioning eyes. “What?”

“Hold on, my butt’s vibrating.” She let their fingers disconnect and reached around, pulling her cell phone out of her jeans pocket.

_Perry (1:02pm): Lunch is almost ready._

Of course. As soon as they were actually having a conversation. Sighing, she typed out her response, then shoved it back into her pocket.

_Carmilla (1:03pm): Be there in 20._

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah. It’s lunchtime though, so we should head back.”

Laura nodded and sat up, detaching herself from Carmilla. The warmth they shared quickly faded away, and she wished they had more uninterrupted time together. But she wasn’t going to argue, her stomach grumbling as the brunette folded the blanket back up and stuffed it back into the bag, along with the water bottle. And once Laura's collar was in place once again, they walked back to the mansion in silence. There was a noticeable difference this time. Carmilla, usually as close to her as she could be and holding her hand, was off in her own little world a few feet away. It was hard not knowing what she was thinking, if she did something wrong, or if it was something else entirely that was on her mind. Laura wanted to take her hand, but she was afraid that this time she would be rejected, so she stuffed her hands in the pockets of the yellow hoodie and continued walking.

Once they got to the home-stretch of the path, the smell of barbeque hit their nostrils. It reminded Laura of sitting out on her small porch back at home, watching her father fiddle around on their tiny grill. And when they finally came out of the windy path cloaked by woods, the mansion came into view. The first thing she noticed was a large grill (bigger than any she’d ever seen before), which was manned by what looked like one of the workers she’d seen at the stables, and Perry, who looked more like she was supervising that anything else. And on the patio, another table had been added next to the one they had sat at for breakfast, and both were now filled with workers chatting amongst themselves as they waited for the food to be done.

So many new people made her nervous, but the ones she saw earlier seemed nice, so she tried not to worry too much. When they approached, the guys greeted Carmilla, more out of politeness than anything it seemed, and she mumbled something back as she strode past them and into the kitchen. Laura stopped at the screen door. With not being allowed in the kitchen, she definitely took that seriously as long as Ms. Karnstein was around and could pop up at any time. Perry was now in the kitchen as well, getting a stack of paper plates to take outside. Carmilla and the redhead talked for a few moments, which Laura was unable to hear what they were saying due to the conversations going on to her left at the tables. She saw Perry nodded her head, causing her curls to bounce all over the place, before they both came back outside. And only a few seconds later, the food was ready.

Thankfully, Perry ushered her and Carmilla to get their things first, avoiding the men that would most likely crowd around the grill and fight for the best pieces of meat. Once they had gotten their share, Carmilla gestured for Laura to follow her back into the house.

“Come on. We can eat somewhere quieter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fanfic Tumblr is ceceash.tumblr.com if you you have any questions, I'll answer them over there.


	8. Day 2: Part 4

Carmilla lead Laura up to the third floor, passing through the bedroom (where she tossed her bookbag onto the floor) and out the main door. Across the hall and into a room she hadn’t been in before, though that pretty much described every other room in the mansion. Laura had only ever been in Carmilla’s room and the kitchen, so she had no idea where anything else was in the huge home. Maybe one day she would ask for a tour, when she knew Ms. Karnstein wasn’t there. Not wanting to chance running into her her more than she had to. Opening the shiny wood door, Carmilla held it, waiting for Laura to enter before shutting it soundly behind them. It was a fairly small room, compared to what she’d seen so far.

There were a few desks with books strewn all over them. Some open to a certain page, some stacked on top of each other in piles that probably made sense to the reader, but not as a passerby like Laura. Lining the walls were posters of galaxies, nebulas, and constellations. Resting just inside of a set of glass doors that went out to a balcony was a shiny, gold telescope, aimed high at the sky. No doubt out here in the desolate woods of Austria, the stars would shine brightly at night, not tainted by the city lights. It must be a wonderful sight. Carmilla ushered her through the doors and onto the balcony. Usually she wasn’t one for heights, but when she looked out over the front and side yard, bathed in the sun’s rays, listening to the birds chirping in the distance, she could deal. She just wouldn’t look over the edge.

There a small black, iron table and two matching chairs sat. The tall peaks of the mansion shaded the area, so they weren’t battling the sun in their eyes. She sat down and waited for Carmilla to join her. When she did, they ate in silence. The barbeque was delicious, and the smoky smell reminded her of the neighborhood cookouts that her family used to go to when she was younger. Looking back now, she wished she would have savored those times. Laura had just been a naive girl then, oblivious to the world’s cruel ways. She envies those whose biggest worry is breaking a crayon, but also pities them for when they learn of the harsh realities around them. Who was really better off? Neither. As long as the world continued to go around as it did now, no one was better off. Well, except for the rich. They will always be better off...

Carmilla used her fork to pick at her food, only every few minutes cutting off a piece of chicken and smearing it in more sauce before popping it into her mouth. She was still annoyed at herself for ruining her and Laura’s bonding time by being stuck in her head, thinking too hard about herself and her situation. She was selfish, though that wasn’t entirely surprising. She always has been. Whether it being wanting more than what she deserved, or not appreciating what she had, when so many others had nothing. The fact that she couldn’t focus on getting to know Laura better for more than twenty minutes without making it about her made her angry. She promised herself she would be better. For Laura. And she would.

“What’s your favorite food?” She asked, looking up from her plate.

Laura brought her attention back to the girl in front of her, and she finished chewing her bite before answering. “Um, meatloaf. I know it’s nothing fancy or anything, but my mom used to make it using our old family recipe.”

Carmilla wondered what it was like coming from a family like Laura’s. To have a loving mother and father. To have family recipes passed down generations...

“What’s yours?”

Carmilla thought for a few seconds, then shrugged. She never really took the time to think about that kind of thing, to be honest. Growing up, she always was told what to eat by mother or nanny. Now, most the time she just ate what Perry decided to fix, or picked from what they had in the fridge or pantry. Was it pathetic that she didn’t even know? How could she expect her mother to want to know these kinds of things about her when she didn’t even know that much about herself? Biting her lip, she reminded her brain to stop thinking about herself again, and thought up other questions to ask Laura. There were so many things that she wanted to know, but where to start? Easy. Nothing to deep or hard for now.

“What’s your favorite animal?”

Laura was curious as to why Carmilla was so inquisitive today. Owners weren’t supposed to care what their slave’s favorite food is, or their favorite animal of all things. If anything, she was supposed to know Carmilla’s. Come to think of it, she hadn’t been doing a very good job of doing what she was bought for. Though this whole experience hasn’t been normal. She hasn’t once been told to make something, clean something, or service Carmilla in any sexual way. If she were anyone else’s slave, there’s no doubt that she would have been expected to do those things and more already. It was confusing, going against everything that she’s learned over the years about the slave culture. But Laura was still unbelievably grateful that things were this easy thus far. So, she answered the simple question.

“Sea otter.” She smiled, remembering the one time she went to the zoo and saw them. “They’re just so adorable with their little paws. Which by the way, they hold hands with each other when they sleep so they don’t drift apart! How sweet is that?”

Carmilla softly chuckled. Sea otters were cute, but not half as cute as the girl sitting in front of her. She was so glad that Laura had become comfortable enough to talk, and it seemed as more time passed, the more she spoke. And that was comforting to Carmilla more than a relieving way. She loved Laura’s voice. It was like music to hear ears, especially since she started off basically mute. And she loved the facial expressions that came along with it. The girl’s smile was her favorite, but she also made a scrunchy face that was too adorable.

“Yours?”

It took a few seconds for Carmilla to remind herself of the question, and when she did, she was surprised to actually have an answer. “Panther.”

“Mm.” Laura hummed. “Makes sense. You’re...dark and mysterious.”

Carmilla didn’t really know how to take that information. Was it a bad thing? Was it a compliment to be dark and mysterious?

Laura continued. “I would have said you are _tall_ , dark, and mysterious...but you’re tiny.”

Carmilla raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Still taller than you, shorty.”

The blonde playfully huffed and went back to finishing her lunch, while Carmilla set her fork down, not really hungry. She felt bad for wasting food, but she just wasn’t in the mood. As she waited for Laura to get done, she spent the time gazing out over the yard (which a cute gray bunny hopped across leisurely), and watching cars pass along the street in the distance, until her attention was pulled back when a hand covered hers.

“Are you okay?” Laura asked, the worry clear in her eyes.

Was she okay overall? No. But in that moment with the warm hand covering hers? No, but she was better. But she knew it wouldn’t last, and she didn’t want Laura wasting her time worrying about her, so she lied.

“I’m fine.” She replied, though not very convincingly. She was never a good actress. “Are you finished?”

The blonde nodded, wiping her mouth with a napkin before setting it on the plate.

“I’ll take care of these.” Carmilla gestured to the plates and got up out of her seat. “Be right back.”

Collecting the two plates, the raven-haired girl was on her way out by the time Laura’s mind caught up to her words. She sat there in the chair on the balcony then, alone. It was weird having Carmilla do something that she, as a slave, she be doing. Standing up, she pushed in her chair and entered the house, closing the glass door behind her. Getting a longer look at the room than she had before, she walked around slowly, every step sounding really loud in the quiet mansion. Looking over at the papers and books that littered one desk, she could see what looked like a family tree written out in loopy cursive. The book that sat above the paper was open midway, on a page that had a man’s name as the chapter title, whose surname was Karnstein, then the year 1871 following it. Laura was shocked that there was a record going back that far.

Hearing footsteps in the hallway, the blonde backed away from the desk, not wanting to be caught snooping, and planted herself in the middle of the room, shoving her hands in her pockets and standing there awkwardly when Carmilla came in. She eyed her, stopping at the doorway for a second to take her in. Laura bit her lips and rolled back on her heels, not being able to stay still while being scrutinized.

“You look guilty of something…” Carmilla said, narrowing her eyes before slowly walking over to Laura.

“I do?” She asked, her nerves rising in her chest. Would she get in trouble for being nosey?

“Yes. Guilty of being the cutest girl I’ve ever had in this room.”

Wait, what? Laura was confused. She wasn’t going to be in trouble? Also, Carmilla thinks that she’s cute? But then it dawned on her not even a second later. Carmilla had most likely chosen her in the first place because she was at least somewhat attracted to her. Why was she just now realizing that? That was another thought for another time, because her brain was having trouble comprehending anything that wasn’t Carmilla finally coming to a stop in front of her. But of course, she didn’t know how to respond to something complimentary being said to her, so she continued to be painfully awkward, saying whatever the first thing that came to her mind.

“So...is this your room?”

Carmilla nodded. “Yes. This whole floor is mine, actually. Which, by the way, you never have to worry about anyone coming up here. My mother stays on the ground floor, and Perry only comes up here if I need her for something. There are occasions where my mother asks Perry to come up here to give me something or relay a message, but she always texts me first.”

Laura nodded back. She had wondered about that, and now she was relieved to hear that she didn’t need to worry about an unexpected visit from Ms. Karnstein. She felt like she could relax now, and hopefully be able to feel more at home in the space. Or, at least as at home as she could feel in a place that was definitely not her actual home. But she didn’t want to think about that right now. Every time she did, she’d get emotional, and she wasn’t really in the mood to have another breakdown. Taking a breath, Laura moved away from Carmilla and walked around the other side of the room, getting a closer look at the posters on the wall. One of the Milky Way Galaxy, one of all the planets in our solar system (including Pluto, which Laura appreciated since she always thought it was rude to exile it from being a planet after so many years), and the last along that wall was of the beautiful Horsehead Nebula.

“You like space.” Laura said, more of a statement rather than a question, since it was pretty obvious.

Carmilla ran her finger along the cool, slick metal of her telescope as she watched the blonde. “Yeah. There’s something comforting in looking up at the sky, seeing the stars, and realizing how small we are in the grand scheme of the universe.”

Laura found that to be an...unusual perspective. If anything, realizing that they are a mere speck (no, more like a speck of a speck) in the universe, was a bit depressing. If they were so small, did they really matter? God only knows, and trying to answer life’s big questions would only frustrate her, and probably cause a headache. But it was good to know something more about Carmilla, which gave her some insight into the puzzling girl.

“One night I can take you back to the hill we were on earlier to see the stars. If that’s something you’d be interested in…” She shrugged.

Laura turned and smiled at Carmilla. “I’d like that.”

There were butterflies in Laura’s stomach. She was curious if they had just made a date or not. It felt like it, at least to her, but Carmilla had been so nonchalant about it that she really wasn’t sure. However, she was also still her slave...so technically could they even have real dates? Thankfully, Carmilla spoke again before she had the chance to get lost in her head and really think about that.

“Come on, I want to show you around.”

Next to that room was a gym. It was small, but had the essentials any gym should have. Laura was never a workout person, mainly just partaking in yoga frequently as a stress reliever when she needed to clear her head or calm down. Through the next door down the hallways was a complete surprise. She didn’t know exactly what she had expected when the lights flipped on, but it definitely wasn’t a two-story theater room. Literally. A huge screen hung between the two levels, each of which were not regular theaters seats, but plush burgundy sofas and reclining chairs.

“I’m pretty sure mother built this room for herself, but I’ve never seen her use it. I usually watch movies in here with Perry.” Carmilla stated before taking the nearby stairs down to the first level, leaving Laura to follow.

Plopping herself down in the third row sofa, Carmilla picked up a remote and turned on the projector. Laura went and sat beside her, feeling incredibly out of place. Sure, from what she’d seen of the mansion, it was very nice, but this was something else entirely. Due to how tight money had been for her family growing up, Laura herself had only ever been to the movies maybe three times in her life, and that was when the two dollar theater was open. It closed around the time she started high school, so she definitely wasn’t able to ever go to the nice theaters to see anything, being way too expensive. She imagined they might look like this. Fancy. Way too fancy for her. Trying to relax into the sofa, she watched Carmilla bring up Netflix. She knew what it was, but never had it herself.

“Any requests?” Carmilla asked.

Most the movies she’d seen were as a child. And when she was older and the slave culture was making itself more prominent in mainstream media, TV series and movie plots revolved around the romance of it. Her parents were outraged (rightfully so), and they had cancelled the cable. From then on, Laura hadn’t really seen anything entertainment wise. She always had found her source of enjoyment in old books. Ones that had no trace of anything slave related. She was a little bit embarrassed that she wasn’t as well-versed as Carmilla seemed to be, and she shrugged, lowering her head. After a few minutes of silence, music came through the speakers on either side of the screen, and Laura looked up to see black and white credits.

Carmilla kicked off her shoes and slid them under her body, then looked over at Laura, encouraging her to do the same. She did, and they watched the movie, and three others before having popcorn for dinner and continuing their marathon long into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fanfic Tumblr is ceceash.tumblr.com if you you have any questions, I'll answer them over there.


	9. Day 3: Part 1

The next day, Carmilla pulled herself out of bed just after noon. Her and Laura had stayed up until three in the morning watching old movies, and only stopped because the blonde had fallen asleep. Carmilla had gently picked her up and carried her back down the hall to their room before falling into bed next to her, almost instantly passing out. Groaning, she shifted onto her back and stretched, accidently bumping into Laura in the process. Carmilla looked over to her left, making sure she didn’t wake the girl, before giggling to herself. Laura had her face smashed into the pillow, mouth open, and a pool of drool collected on the fabric. Seriously, how was she the cutest thing on Earth? Tearing her gaze away, Carmilla rubbed her eyes and picked up her phone from the bedside table. Not surprisingly, she had multiple messages from Perry.

_Perry (9:30 AM): Breakfast is almost ready._

_Perry (9:39 AM): Are you awake?_

_Perry (9:45 AM): You know breakfast is an essential part of the day, Carmilla._

_Perry (9:53 AM): I suppose you’re still asleep._

_Perry (10:26 AM): Your mother will be here all day, so if you wanted to take Laura shopping, this would be the time to do it._

She had totally forgotten about the shopping trip. Mainly because she actually liked seeing Laura in her clothes, but the girl deserved to have her own. Deciding to let the blonde sleep a bit longer, Carmilla dragged herself out of bed, grabbed some clothes, and locked herself away in the bathroom to take a shower. It was quick. Not wanting to waste away anymore of the day. So by twelve-thirty, she waltzed back into her bedroom, squeaky clean and drying her pitch black hair with a towel. Eying the bed, she saw that Laura had rolled over and was now laying sideways, feet sprawled across Carmilla’s side, head on the mattress below the pillow, and her arm dangling off the edge, fingers grazing the floor. She smiled and shook her head, tossing the towel at the hamper and taking the secret passage down to the first floor.

“There you are.” Perry said, getting up from her seat when she emerged into the kitchen. “I was starting to think you were dead.”

Carmilla scoffed. “Okay, Drama Queen. Just because I wasn’t up at the ass-crack of dawn doesn’t mean that I’m dead.”

The redhead crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, excuse me for being concerned.”

“You’re not excused.” Carmilla said, then chuckled at Perry’s annoyed face and made her way past.

Reaching up, she grabbed a mug from the cupboard and filled it with water, she then put it into the microwave and bent down to get a packet from a Swiss Miss box from the shelf. She hopes Laura likes hot cocoa. When the machine let out a _ding_ , she wasted no time in taking it out and ripping the packet open, pouring out its contents and watching it dissolve as she took a nearby spoon and stirred, adding a splash of half and half minute later when Perry handed it to her. Usually she'd have something too, but she was already awake and didn’t need anything to get her going. She was ready to take on the day and get away from the mansion for a few hours. Putting the spoon in the sink, she took the mug and made her way back upstairs to where she’d left the girl (who was still in the same uncomfortable looking position as before). She closed the door behind her and leaned over the bed.

“Laura.” Carmilla said softly, but the girl made no indication that she was heard.  “Lauraaaa. Time to wake uuuup.” She continued, this time taking her pinky finger and guiding it to the blonde’s nose, tickling the inside of it.

“I’m awake!” She nearly shouted as she sprang up, eyes half open and looking around until they found familiar ones.

Carmilla laughed to herself. “Morning, spaz.” She replied, setting the mug down on the nightstand. “For you.”

“Mm, smells good.” Laura mumbled before she picked up the mug and sipped the hot liquid, burning her tongue. “Ow!”

“Oh yeah, it’s hot.”

Laura glares at her playfully. “Thanks for the warning.”

“Anytime, sweetheart.” Carmilla replied as she flopped on her side of the bed, grabbing the remote and turning on the television. “We’re going shopping for your clothes today, so once you’re done with that, go ahead and get ready.”

Laura perked up. She was excited to be able to leave the mansion, having been confined here the past two days. Gosh, had it only been two days? It felt like so much longer than that. She wondered if time would always seem to pass this slow. But she didn’t want to complain, even if it was just in her head where only she could hear. She had to remind herself to be grateful. Of Carmilla and how much she cared about her, even without really knowing her. But that last part seemed to be changing. She was more comfortable speaking, at least when it was just the two of them. She was still weary around everyone else, even Perry (who seemed very nice). But the main reason was that she never really had any clue where or when Ms. Karnstein would pop up.

Finishing her cocoa, she set the empty mug on the nightstand and got out from under the covers. Carmilla gave her some clothes to change into, and she was happy that this was her last day of sharing. Not because she didn’t want to wear Carmilla’s clothes, but wearing someone else’s underwear was a bit awkward. Especially since the ones she’d been given, and suspected all were, pretty skimpy. Not her style. She liked coverage. Practicality. Though she didn’t know if she would have a choice in what she would get. But hey, at least they would be her own, so she was still happy nonetheless. After showering and dressing, she dried her hair, and brushed it, putting it into a ponytail, then brushed her teeth and slipped on her shoes as she sat on the end of the bed.

Carmilla, who had been flipping through channels to pass the time, turned of the TV and finished getting ready herself. She covered up her black eye with makeup as she brushed her teeth. When she came back out and picked up her hoodie, she noticed that Laura had already put on the collar. She pretended not to see, partly to not make the girl feel weird about it, but also because she couldn’t think about it without getting angry. Clearing her throat, she grabbed the leash and wrapped it up, stuffing it in her back pocket, just in case. It really depended on the place. Like the mall as building requires slaves to wear collars, but if you walk into a privately owned business in the mall, their laws may be that they have to be on a leash. It sucked, but it was legal.

Carmilla she hoped that she wouldn’t need it. As Laura zipped up the yellow hoodie, she grabbed her cell phone and texted Kirsch to get the car and meet them out front. They took the actual stairs this time, because it was closer to the door. Making it down to the first floor, they passed the two parlor rooms on either side of the hallway and made their way out the door, surprisingly without a hitch from Perry, who she had totally expected to remind (harass) them to eat something. But Carmilla already had that taken care of. They only had to wait in the driveway for a couple minutes before the car pulled up beside them, the gravel crackling under the tires as it came to a stop. She opened the door and waited for Laura to hop in before she followed. Once the door was closed and they buckled up, the partition lowered.

“Afternoon, ladies.” Kirsch greeted them with a smile in the rearview mirror. “Where to?”

“Ell’s Bistro.”

“You got it.” He tipped his hat enthusiastically, then raised the partition, giving them privacy.

“Hope you’re hungry.”

Laura nodded. “Starving, actually.”

“We probably should have eaten something more fulfilling than popcorn for dinner...”

“But buttery goodness.”

Carmilla chuckled and leaned back against the seat. The thirty minute drive was relatively silent, but it was comfortable. They didn’t need to fill the space. Both were more than okay with the feeling of their shoulders touching, and looking out their windows, watching the scenery go by and turn into the small city. Thankfully the auction house was on the other side of the town, so they avoided most of the coming and going traffic. Kirsch parked the vehicle outside of a tiny building and escorted them inside. After they entered, immediately the hostess recognized Carmilla and automatically ushered the three of them in and through the restaurant. Near the back where there were fewer people, they sat in the corner next to a window, which looked out onto a pond behind the building.

It was a nice place, even for it’s small size. Though Laura wasn’t really surprised. If Carmilla could afford nice things, of course she would go to a quality restaurant. It was probably the fanciest place she’s ever ate at. But that didn’t take much. She only remembered her family eating out three times in her life. It was a luxury for her, and a normal thing for people like Carmilla. She wondered what it was like to have grown up like that. But she wouldn’t have traded hers for anything. It had made her humble, and she appreciated the little things so much more. Not to say that Carmilla didn’t. Really, she had no idea. There was still so much that they had to learn about one another. But she felt that they had gotten somewhere. Or at least started, when they talked yesterday.

The surprises kept coming. Carmilla let her choose from anything on the menu, and though that was a very nice thing, Laura ended up just choosing a simple salad. She kind of wanted to make up for the unhealthy dinner from the previous night by eating something actually good for her body. The girl had tried to get her to order something else, to take advantage of their outing, but realized what she was doing and backed off. Laura knew that Carmilla only had good intentions, and she could tell that she was doing her best to make her comfortable, but also wanted her to make her own choices. She could see the internal struggle that went on, even if she tried to hide it. Carmilla was trying too hard when she didn’t have to. It was endearing, but unnecessary.

Their food came not too long after, and they ate while listening to Kirsch (who was sitting a table away, reading) complain about a football team he liked not winning as he scowled at the newspaper he held in his hands. Carmilla rolled her eyes, proclaiming that football was a stupid sport anyway, which lead to the driver going on a detailed explanation of why it is important. Laura watched with amusement. Sure, she cared about football as much as Carmilla did, but their bickering was lighthearted. It was nice to see a smile on the raven-haired girl’s face, even if she wasn’t the one to cause it. That went on for about twenty minutes, and once they had finished and Carmilla paid the bill, they drove the five minutes to the largest building in the town: the mall.

It was also the most stand-out building. A modern giant surrounded by old architecture, sticking out like a sore thumb. To be completely honest, it was ugly and off-putting. But it was the biggest mall in close vicinity of the Karnstein Estate, and Carmilla probably didn’t want to go further to say, Graz, just for clothes. Laura assumed all of the good stuff was in Graz (which was an hour and a half away), the second-largest city in Austria. That’s about all she knew...very little about Austria in general, other than the quick research she had done at the public library back home. Maybe one day they could go to Graz. From the pictures she had seen on Google, it was like it called out to her, waiting to be explored. With that thought, she couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened it she actually got to attend Silas like planned…

Carmilla, who had been watching Laura, glanced back at the window as Kirsch was looping around the parking lot to drop them off at the door. “Before we go in I want to go over some things with you.”

Laura looked over and waited for Carmilla to meet her eyes. “Okay.”

“Your collar stays on the entire time, but in some stores they might require the leash as well. We’ll try to avoid those, though. Also, it would be in your best interest not to make eye contact with anyone. A lot of people take that as an offense, and while I’d never let anyone hurt you, I’d also like to avoid trouble. And lastly, don’t stray. There are real assholes that attempt to get slaves alone, and when they do, bad things happen.”

“I understand.” The blonde replied.

“Good.” Carmilla said as the car pulled up along the curb.

“Want me to go in with you?” Kirsch said, turning around in his seat.

“No. But you don’t need to sit here the entire time. You can do your own thing and I’ll text you when we’re almost ready.”

He nodded. “You got it.”

Carmilla opened the car door, getting out, and waited for Laura to get out behind her before shutting the door soundly. The blonde took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. She had been excited for this outing, but once Carmilla informed her of the rules and risks...she realized it probably wasn’t going to be as fun as she had expected. This was the real world, and back at the mansion was like a fantasy land. She had to play her role here to be safe...whether she wanted to or not.

“Ready?” Carmilla sighed, like she wasn’t thrilled about this either.

Laura nodded, fidgeting with her fingers as they walked up to the doors. Carmilla must have noticed and ran her hand down her arm, coming to a rest in her palm. Once they entered the cool building, she lowered her eyes. It was pretty busy, at least in that area, and she didn’t want to risk making eye contact with anyone. So she trailed a step behind Carmilla, watching her feet. The hand in hers started to pull away, and even though Laura’s first instinct was to hold on tighter, she loosened her grip. Thankfully, Carmilla only meant to reposition her fingers so they could lace together. Once they got past the crowd, she let herself look up as they came to a stop near a bench, and saw that the other girl was checking something on her phone.

“Okay, so...bras and undies are first on the list.” She said, putting her phone back into her pocket and leading them to the left.

They entered a store called Ramona’s, which seemed to be an underwear only store. It looked like a much more tame version of Victoria’s Secret to Laura. 

“What size do you wear?” Carmilla asked, already heading to the smaller size bras.

“Uh.” Her face flushed and she replied in a low voice. “34B.”

She’d been teased by other girls growing up that she was so small in the chest area. Even now, if anything, it was more embarrassing because she hadn't grown at all, really. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Carmilla bring her free hand up to her face and position it under her chin, gently pulling it up, making sure their eyes met.

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about, Creampuff.” She said, her thumb stroking her cheek for a few moments before letting go.

For a moment, Laura thought that Carmilla was going to kiss her. Funny thing, she wouldn’t have been opposed to it. She didn’t know if that was a good thing, or if it was more concerning. But she really didn’t want to question it. She loved that it took so little for Carmilla to make her feel better, and she bit her lip, attempting to hide her smile as they continued down the aisle of racks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fanfic Tumblr is ceceash.tumblr.com if you you have any questions, I'll answer them over there.


	10. Day 3, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Violence and mentions of self-harm.

Ten bras, ten undies, ten shirts, ten shorts, ten pants. That’s how many Carmilla bought for her (and tried to get more), and it was already too much. Laura grown up not having many clothes, but it wasn’t something that she had really thought too much about. Things like bras were worn two days in a row. Same with shirts, pants, and shorts if she had kept clean. Undies however, those she had the most of. She never wore those for more than a day...that was just gross feeling. But still, living with five pairs of everything else...she had gotten by just fine. Ten was a lot to her. She had to keep reminding herself though that people with money always had an excess of basically everything. Carmilla’s closet for example was nearly full of shirts alone. 

The girl had been firm in wanting Laura to have everything she needed, but her idea of need was different than Laura’s actual need. She had to explain where she was coming from, and even then they had stood in the bra aisle of the store (for upwards of ten minutes) debating back and forth about how much of everything would be enough. Laura won, and she suspected it was because she flashed her puppy eyes, which she rarely used, and Carmilla’s expression had changed. She gave in very quickly after that, and she realized just how much power she really held with the girl. It was then that she knew that she could probably ask for anything, and Carmilla would do her best to give it to her. A lot of people would take that for granted, but the thing she took away from it was that Carmilla truly cared about her.

Not that she didn’t know that before. Everything the girl had done for her in past two days was proof enough of that. It was still something that she was getting used to though. Trying to put aside what she’d learned over the years of what horrible people slave owners did...and Carmilla broke every one of those stereotypes or assumptions that she had believed to be law. She wondered when her brain would stop comparing the two. She wondered if it was because she was still waiting for Carmilla to reveal her true colors and be the owner that she was expecting all along. But the girl kept on treating her as good as she possibly could. It would be easier if she was mean. It would make it so much easier for Laura to her and hate the situation that she’s in. 

Not to be misunderstood, she still hated that her situation was even a possible thing...but Carmilla made it better. When it was just the two of them, everything else melted away for a little while and she felt happy. Or at least content. Then something would be said, or would remind her of back home, and it would all come back to her, shattering their perfect moment. She often thought about how much she would like Carmilla if they had just met in a normal, natural way. Like in the park or the grocery store. She was drawn to her, and they probably would have become friends like that too. Wait...were they friends now? Yes, it had only been two days, but she’s never felt this close to a person that wasn’t a family member. It was strange how two people could connect like that, and not know much about each other at all.

“That’s a fine slave, if I ever did see one.” A deep voice came from their right.

Laura looked to see who it was, but instantly remembered to not make eye contact, so she lowered her eyes to the floor as fast as she could, hoping it wasn’t too late. She could feel that Carmilla had stiffened next to her, pausing from looking at a new bedspread and turning to the man who was approaching. They hadn’t talked with anyone but cashiers when Carmilla was paying for things, so neither really expected to start now. The man wore scuffed tennis shoes, worn blue jeans, and a plaid, button-up shirt. He was tall, and his posture intimidating, and Laura could feel his gaze on her. It made her skin crawl, and she wished that Carmilla’s hand was still in hers. She needed the reassurance in the warmth.

“I’ve been looking for a nice young thing like you for quite some time now…”

“Yeah, well keep looking. She’s not for sale.” Carmilla said, trying to sound casual.

“Oh, come on. I’m sure I can give you double what you paid for her.” He continued, stepping closer.

“I highly doubt that. Now if you’ll leave us be, we have shopping to do.”

Carmilla then took Laura’s hand in hers and they walked away. Oh, the restraint that she was embodying in that moment, she couldn’t even put it into words. It wasn’t an uncommon thing to show interest in someone else’s slave and make an offer, but this was Laura. Carmilla would never give her up, and especially not to a creepy dude like that. There was just something weird about his eyes. Too...dark. And his smile was too...serial killer-ish. She would much rather would have told him off using her extensive vocabulary of swear words, but she had to keep her cool. It was the mature thing to do. But that didn’t make it any less difficult. So she had forced herself to walk away, making sure that Laura’s hand was tightly in hers. A minute later when she was cooling down, they ducked into an empty aisle and she turned around so they faced each other.

“You know I’d never sell you, right? You don’t have to worry about that.” 

Laura nodded and spoke softly. “I know.”

Carmilla wondered if she really did. If Laura knew the lengths that she would go to make her happy. She probably didn’t, and most likely never would. But that didn’t mean she would ever stop trying to show her, or ever stop trying to prove herself worthy of a girl such as Laura. The latter, she knew, would never be attainable, and she’s known that from the beginning. But still. Trying is what was important. She didn’t know what Laura thought of her now, but she wished she did. Staring into those chocolate eyes, she saw affection. What kind, whether platonic or something more...she didn’t know. Her heart wanted so badly to think it was possible for them to be something more than just the titles of slave and owner. But that would be up to Laura. She wasn’t going to do anything that would jeopardize the trust they were building in each other. 

When Laura leaned forward, for a brief moment, Carmilla thought that she was going to kiss her. Panic shot through her body, because she was unprepared. But once the girl’s face passed hers and buried into her neck, her nerves immediately shot down. Arms circled her neck, and in return, hers slipped around the petite waist. She let her eyes close and enjoyed the close moment they shared before Laura pulled back. Carmilla didn’t want to let her go, but she had to remind herself where they were. Out in public wasn’t the time to have a moment. So she let out a shaky breath, still affected by the embrace. How she wished they were alone and not in the middle of a mall. But they weren’t. So, she took a hold of Laura’s hand once again and continued their shopping.

Only one more thing was bought, and it was only because it had made Carmilla smile when she’d seen it. It was a pillow, yellow on one side, white on the other. It would clash with the decor of their bedroom, but she wanted Laura to feel like she owned a part of it too. Once Carmilla paid and made sure it would ship with the rest of her orders that she made today, she texted Kirsch that they were heading for entrance. She didn’t get a chance to see him text back though, because Laura squeezed her hand so hard and suddenly. She looked up, and the guy from earlier was standing off to the side, looking like he was waiting for something. With everything in her, Carmilla hoped that he wouldn’t notice them, but of course, he did. A smirk came over his face and he started to approach them. She stuffed her phone in her back pocket, and straightened her back.

“Well, well, well. If this isn’t a coincidence, I don’t know what is.” He said, looking Laura up and down with a smirk, like he was picturing her naked.

Carmilla clenched her jaw. “I thought we already went over this...”

He stopped right in front of them and chomped his gum loudly. “I think we all know that the right number can change anyone’s mind.”

“In this case, it can’t. Now, I’m only going to say this one more time: she’s not for sale. So get the fuck out of our way.”

“Nobody ever tell you a lady shouldn’t talk that way?” He asked, eyes hardening.

“Nobody ever teach you that no means no?” Carmilla countered. 

The man let out a humorless laugh, then grabbed her arm, tightening his grip and making her groan in pain.

“Don’t touch her!” Laura found herself yelling at the man, then pushing his grip away from Carmilla.

He automatically swung his other arm and backhanded Laura across the face. “You need to learn your place, little girl.”

It took a moment for Carmilla to register what had just happened, but when she saw Laura’s hands cupping her cheek, the rage inside of her was let loose. She clenched her right hand into a fist and decked him right in the nose, blood flowing instantly. She vaguely heard a few gasps behind them and shouts for security. But it all became a blur when the guy lunged at her, hand grasping her neck firmly. His hand was wet from the blood when he cupped his nose, and now was smearing it along her pale neck. It only lasted a few seconds before the man was pulled off of her by two security guards. One got a hold of him, restraining his hands behind his back and removed him from the area. Then Laura was at her side, one hand on Carmilla’s back as she tried to sit up. She let out a few coughs as another hand was gently placed on her arm, letting her know that the blonde was there for her.

“Are you alright, Miss?” The security officer said fast, bending down in front of her.

Carmilla pushed her hair back out of her face and nodded. She was fine. She’d been through much worse in the past.

“Oh! Miss Karnstein!” The guy said, shocked. “Here, let me, uh, help you up.” 

He rushed to help her off of the ground, which she didn’t fight.

“Would you like to press charges on the man who attacked you? We can do that in my office right now.”

Yes, she would. She would want nothing more than his ass to rot in jail for hurting Laura. But that would draw attention to her, and in turn, her mother. Bad attention. So she shook her head and cleared her throat..

“No. I just want to go home.” 

“Are you sure, Miss Karnstein?”

“Yes. I don’t want anymore trouble.” 

He nodded slowly. “If you insist. I’ll see you out, then.”

She put up a hand, stopping him. “We’re fine. But thank you for your help.”

She was lucky that she was a Karnstein. If she were any other person, her ass would have been in just as much trouble as the man’s is now. Until they reviewed security tapes and saw that he was in fact the one that started this whole thing. But she couldn’t stay. She couldn’t press charges no matter how much she wanted to. Negative attention to the Karnstein name was one thing that her mother did not tolerate, and she couldn’t have the news going around that her supposedly very well behaved daughter is punching strangers. Exiting the mall, Carmilla led them over away from the entrance doors and leaned against the side of the building before she cupped Laura’s face in her hands.

“Are you okay?” She asked, gently running her thumb over the bruise that was appearing on Laura’s cheek.

“Am I okay? Carmilla, he tackled you to the ground and choked you!” She looked up at her in disbelief. 

“I’m fine, Cupcake. Now please answer me. Are you okay?”

Laura sighed and nodded. She wanted to cry. Not because the pain in her cheek was throbbing, but because Carmilla could have been choked to death just a minute ago, and yet all the girl cared about was if she was okay. There were so many confusing things about her, it made Laura’s head spin. At the same time, she wanted to close the space between them, letting her feelings out with a passionate kiss, to show her how she was feeling. The thought of that made her heart pound. She was thinking about that a lot today, and she wondered if Carmilla was too. Maybe they needed to have a talk. That would be the mature thing to do...right? She needed to know what the other girl wanted. They looked at each other for a few minutes before the familiar black car pulled up in front of them, and both girls separated and shuffled in.

“Holy shit! What the Hell happened to you?” Kirsch screeched, turning around in his seat and looking at the blood on her Carmilla’s neck with wide eyes.

“Nothing. I’m fine. Do you have any moist towelettes up there?”

“Uh...yeah.” He replied, then leaned over and searched through the glove box.

A few seconds later he tossed them back to her and she ripped open the package. “Take us home, Kirsch.” She said before pressing a button above her, raising the partition and cutting him off to whatever else he was going to say.

“Here, let me.” Laura said, taking the wipes from Carmilla’s hand and washing away the drying blood.

The rest of the car ride was silent. And not a comfortable silent like it had been before. This silence was heavy. Carmilla felt there was so much that needed to be said, but she couldn’t. She was too angry at herself, and she felt that itch frowning inside of her. She had failed at protecting Laura and she needed to be punished. What she wouldn’t give to feel the razor slicing into her skin again. She missed it. It had been the only thing that truly took the pain away, releasing it through her blood, out of her body. There was no feeling like it. But she had given that up. Unwillingly, of course. Perry had found out and threatened to tell her mother. She couldn’t have that. Since then, the redhead checked her skin for any new marks once a week. 

She’s almost slipped many times since then, and today would be one of those hard days. Through her one outlet being taken away from her, she found another. One that didn’t leave visible marks, but gave her the pain she deserved. She would shower and turn on the hot water and feel it burn the skin of her back. That’s what she needed. As soon as she got home, she needed to get in the shower and deal with this (even though it wouldn’t take back the events that happened), or else it felt like her feelings would swallow her whole. She was out of it the whole thirty minute ride, thinking about nothing, about everything, about Laura. There was so much in her head, she wished there was a way to get it all out for good. She needed a release..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fanfic Tumblr is ceceash.tumblr.com if you you have any questions, I'll answer them over there.


	11. Day 3, Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Abuse.

“Carm?”

She looked up from where she’d been staring at her hands and replied with a low, gravelly voice. “Yeah, sweetheart?”

“We’re here.”

Carmilla looked out the window and the mansion sat there, in all it’s glory, baking in the afternoon sun. Oh. She hadn’t even noticed that the car had come to a stop. Getting out she noticed that her shoulders and the back of her head hurt. No doubt bruises were now there from being slammed onto a hard floor less than an hour ago. At least she wouldn’t have to see those. However, she expected there to be some on her neck where she’d been choked. Those would be easy to cover up, at least. Walking up to the door, which was opened by Perry before they even got up the steps, and were welcomed in with her usual pleasant smile. Usually Carmilla didn’t mind the redhead's constant good mood, tolerating it in stride, but right now was different. Maybe she just wanted everyone else to feel just an ounce of what she felt. Misery loves company, after all.

“Would either of you like a snack?” She asked, blissfully unaware.

“No.” Carmilla answered hard, lowering her head, her hair falling in front of her face, acting as a curtain to hopefully hide any marks that may be visible, and brushed past the woman.

By now, the Perry had learned to not take Carmilla’s occasional bad mood to heart, and tried again, turning to the blonde. “Laura, how about you?”

She shook her head. “No thank you, Perry.”

Laura had lost any appetite that she would have had, her stomach now in knots worrying about Carmilla. There was no way that she could be fine after that. And it’s a miracle that they were just left to leave after such an incident. But she figured since the security officer knew who she was...a Karnstein...that that’s what was their saving grace. Things could have been much worse, Laura knew that. And she couldn’t help but think it was all her fault. If she hadn’t shoved the man’s hand off of Carmilla, he wouldn’t have slapped her, and Carmilla wouldn’t have decked him, and he wouldn’t have choked her. Yeah, it was all her fault. If she had just been obedient and done nothing more than she was told, that whole fight could have been avoided.

Now Carmilla was hurt, even though she probably would never admit it, and she had no idea what she could do to help the situation. Perry disappeared into the parlor room on the right-hand side, and Laura followed Carmilla, who was slowly making her way further down the hall. Whether she was moving slow because she was in pain, or just that she was tired, Laura didn’t know. Maybe it was a combination of the two. Either way, she was worried. When they got to the stairs, Carmilla stopped and grabbed the railing, looking at them like they were Mt. Everest, taking a deep breath. She placed her hand on her lower back, silently asking if she needed help. But Carmilla didn’t get to answer, as her mother’s voice rang through the hall.

“Carmilla! May I have a word with you?”

“Shit.” She mumbled, then turned to Laura. “Go upstairs.”

Leaving Carmilla was the last thing that Laura wanted to do. But she did as she was told, not wanting to make a mess of something else today. Without a look back, she took two stairs at a time, up two flights before she stopped and lingered. Leaning against the wall, she wanted to know what was happening. She heard the echoes of the clicks on the hardwood floor come to a stop and Ms. Karnstein’s muffled, grim voice. She wasn’t able to hear everything, but she got the jist.

“ _I received a call from mall security...made a rather large commotion…you have a reputation to uphold as a Karnstein...will not tolerate this behavior_.”

And then she heard it. A resounding slap. Just like that time in the kitchen, though she’d seen that first hand. And then another was heard. And another. Laura’s heart started pumping. A grunt and then a thud. What was that? A loud cry of pain followed by coughing. She wanted nothing more than to run back down those stairs and tear Ms. Karnstein limb from limb. But then there was silence. A few seconds later, the clicks of heels started and got further and further away until they couldn’t be heard anymore. Again, she wanted to race down the steps to see Carmilla, but she was told to go upstairs. There were a few more faint coughs before she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. She didn’t want to make things worse by defying what Carmilla asked of her.

So she quietly climbed the last set of stairs and opened the door to their shared room. Not knowing what to do with herself, she sat on the end of the bed and stared at the doorway she just came through. Her fingers grasped the comforter to have something to contain herself, and she just thought her heart may explode when Carmilla came limping through the door with a split bottom lip and bruises starting to form on her cheek and chin.

“Oh my God, Carm…” She whispered, standing up and about to race over to the girl.

“Don’t.” Carmilla said in a defeated voice, before crossing the room to enter the bathroom.

Carmilla locked the door and hobbled over to the sink, leaning with her palms on the counter. Blood dripped from her lip and into the bowl, rolling its way down to the drain. She turned on the water and washed it away before taking a small cloth, wetting it down, and placing it over the cut. Her body hurt, but her mother could have done worse. Hell, she was expecting worse. But it was like she’d gotten off easy, which scared her. Looking into the mirror, she saw light bruises around her neck from the man’s hands. It was sore, but she’d live. After a few minutes, she tossed the cloth to the side and ran her tongue over the fresh wound. She needed that shower now. She needed the pain. She needed that release. But just when she was about to go turn the water on, a knock came through the door. She wanted to ignore it, but she couldn’t forever. Not when she knew who was on the other side.

Carmilla first dug around in the medicine cabinet above the sink, retrieving two pain killers, then swallowed them down with a small cup of water. She then sat down on top of the toilet seat, head in her hands, taking deep breaths. But a few more pleads from Laura, and she couldn’t hold off any longer. She’d at least let the girl get out whatever she had to say. Getting up, she flipped the lock on the door, then sat back down as it slowly opened. Once the blonde saw that she was sitting, she was immediately at her feet, kneeling down in between her legs. A few moments of silence went by before Carmilla looked up, meeting Laura’s eyes. She was so concerned. It was in the way her eyebrows furrowed and how her eyes shined with unshed tears. But there was no pity that she could see, thankfully. That wasn’t what she wanted.

“Is there anything I can do?” Laura asked.

There it was again, and Carmilla was gobsmacked. The girl was still worrying about her when she should have been worried about herself. She’d gotten backhanded by a man twice her size, for fucks sake! She couldn’t understand how Laura could care for her so much. They had only known each other three days. Though, those had been three of the most carefree days Carmilla had ever experienced. Three days and she was wrapped around this girl’s finger. Three days and her heart had been claimed so easily. Three days and she already couldn’t imagine a life without her. Was this what being in love felt like? She’d heard of people experiencing love at first sight, to which she had always scoffed at. But from the moment that she had seen Laura at the auction house, something in her changed. It made her think that maybe love at first sight truly did exist.

“My mom...when I was little...used to tell me to point to where I got hurt and she’d kiss it better.” Laura said, her fingers caressing the leg under her hand. “Where are you hurting, Carm?”

Where did she hurt? Everywhere. But for the sake of Laura, she played along. And being honest with herself, she wanted nothing more in this moment to feel the comfort of Laura’s lips on her. First pointing to her clavicle, which was an irritated pink color. The blonde didn’t hesitate in leaning forward and pressing her lips to the skin. A tingle rushed through her, and she pointed to her forearm, where another pink patch was. Laura took her arm carefully into her hands and raised it to her lips, leaving a lingering peck there. The gentleness of her touch was something Carmilla probably would never get used to. She never really touched Perry or Kirsch, so that left the only one having any contact with, was her mother. And that was never anything less than rough.

This...this was nice. More than nice. Pleasurable. It was a strange feeling, especially since she’s never been this intimate with anyone. Carmilla pointed to her cheek next, and the warm lips grazed the bruising area. Unconsciously, she licked her lips. She knew what she wanted, what her heart ached for, but she didn’t want to cross a line. As if knowing what she was thinking, Laura glanced down to her lips. Did she want it too? There was only one way to find out. She raised her finger and pointed to where she has wanted those lips from day one. Surprisingly, Laura wasted no time in kissing her, close-mouthed and soft, aware of the cut. Carmilla’s heart soared, and she forgot about all the pain that her body has endured. Nothing compared to this. All the events of that day lead to this. And when they separated, neither went far.

Noses rubbed up against each other before Laura reached up and carefully cupped the side of Carmilla’s face that was the least injured, bringing them back together again. Laura parted her lips, and felt Carmilla’s open against hers, so she went for it, capturing her bottom lip. She had never kissed anyone before (and she assumed that Carmilla had more experience than her) so she hoped that she was doing this right. Seconds later, she felt hands find her hips and slowly drifted upwards, then gripping her yellow hoodie, guiding her closer until their torsos pressed up against each other. Her arms naturally wrapped around Carmilla’s neck, loosely so she wouldn’t hurt her, and let her fingers slip into the soft, dark hair. It was thicker than it looked, and God it was soft. Hot breath against her face, she didn’t let herself pull too far away before continuing, giving her upper lip the same attention.

Carmilla was more than surprised that Laura had taken the lead, but she was thankful. It confirmed that by not being in control, she wasn’t pushing the girl to do anything that she didn’t want to. And she let herself experience the moment, and enjoy everything about what was happening. Laura’s body against her, fitting like they were made for each other. Laura’s lips that eagerly mingled with hers, creating a tingle in her stomach that she could only equate to butterflies fluttering around. Laura’s hands in her hair, gently but firmly tugging at the back of her neck. She almost completely forgot about why she was in the bathroom in the first place, but she wasn’t lucky enough to be able to go just a few minutes without having that reminder pop up in her head. Reaching up, she took Laura’s jaw her in hand, kissing her one last time, before guiding them both back.

She had to take a breath, not realizing that she hadn’t been breathing as much as she should have, and took the blonde’s appearance in. Her pupils big and full of want, lips swollen and pink, chest heaving as she panted. As she looked into those brown pools, Carmilla knew that it was okay to not be okay. Laura was there for her, and that’s all she needed. And the realization that Laura might actually return her feelings brought tears to her eyes. She really didn’t deserve to have her, but she thanked her lucky stars that she did. Never would she take Laura’s presence in her life for granted. She only made things better. All of the shit with her mother or any other outside forces were worth it, just as long as the blonde was by her side. Carmilla wasn’t aware that she was crying until a tear slid down her face and Laura wiped the wet trail away with her thumb.

The softness of the simple action made her lose it. It’s all she’s ever wanted from anyone, especially her mother. Someone to just care. And she felt it in such a simple touch or look from Laura. She closed her eyes and squeezed them tight, leaning forward until her forehead hit the girl’s shoulder. Arms didn’t hesitate to wrap around her, like a cocoon of comfort. She hated to show emotion in front of anyone, always being taught that it made her weak, but for once she finally got to express her feelings and have someone just... _be there_ for her. Sniffing, she returned the embrace. Arms around Laura’s neck, she hugged tightly as she tried to calm down. The position that they are in reminded her of the other day when Laura had her emotional breakdown. She hoped that it wouldn’t become a trend, but she liked the fact that they helped each other.

A few minutes later, her grip loosened, and she rested her body against Laura’s. She was exhausted, emotionally and physically, and the hand running up and down her back was only coaxing her more into a more relaxed state. However, the bathroom wasn’t the best place to have a nap, so she willed herself to finally pull away. The first thing that caught her eye was the damn collar, so she wasted no time in unlatching it and tossing it away from them. Now that that distraction was gone, she got another look at Laura’s cheek. It wasn’t bad, actually. Once the redness had faded, only a slight discoloration at her bone gave it away if you were looking for it. She ran her finger along it before leaning in and placing a light kiss to her skin. She could feel Laura smile, and fingers at her shoulders caress the bruised skin on her neck.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” She whispered, looking the blonde in her eyes.

Laura scoffed and took Carmilla’s hand off her cheek before kissing it. “I’m fine. Are you?”

She nodded. “Just tired.”

Laura didn’t look entirely convinced, but she knew that Carmilla didn’t want to talk about it. At least not then.

“Want to take a nap?”

Carmilla nodded again.

In front of her, Laura stood and held out her hand. Taking it, Carmilla let herself be helped up and lead back into the bedroom. Normally she would flop on the bed but she took extra care now, sitting on the edge, using her feet to kick her shoes off, then laying back on the plush comforter. Laura turned on lamp that sat on the nightstand and turned off the overhead ones, before scooting closer.

“Come here.” She said.

Carmilla looked next to her and Laura opened her arms. This definitely wasn’t something that she was used to. But it wasn’t like she could resist. Not that she wanted to. She was naturally drawn to Laura, and she slipped into the soft embrace easily. Head resting on her chest and arm around her waist. A kiss was placed on her forehead as she let herself be held, the rhythm of Laura’s heartbeat lulling her to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fanfic Tumblr is ceceash.tumblr.com if you you have any questions, I'll answer them over there.


	12. Day 3, Part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to the Anon who messaged me saying they had a really shitty week. And anyone else who is going through some hard things, I hope that this chapter brings at least a little bit of happiness to you <3

Laura didn’t know how long they laid there in bed together, with Carmilla asleep on her, but she savored every moment. It wasn’t often that the girl relinquished this much physical control between the two of them...and she liked it. It was a confusing mix of finally feeling in control of something again, and her obvious fondness for Carmilla. The latter was the more predominant feeling at the moment though, and she tightened her hold on the girl and took in a deep breath through her nose, the scent of coconut shampoo surrounding her. For now, she’d put aside her internal frustrations with her situation, and focused on helping Carmilla anyway that she could. She still wanted to march right down stairs and give Ms. Karnstein a piece of her mind (and fist), but she was rational enough to know that was a horrendous idea, and it would only make things worse for both of them.  

Kissing the raven-haired girl’s temple, she wished that things weren’t so complicated. She wished that Carmilla would just up and leave this home so she didn’t have to take any more abuse. It was something that she couldn’t understand. Carmilla could leave anytime she wanted. She was of legal age and had more than enough money to take care of herself...yet she stayed, only to be treated horribly by the person who is supposed to love and protect her. It was something they needed to talk about, because Laura wouldn’t be able to keep her mouth shut about it too much longer, refusing to be a silent observer. There was so much that needed to be said between them, and it was stressful just thinking about it. Just then, a vibration came from Carmilla’s jeans. Not wanting to ignore it in case of it was actually something important, Laura carefully extracted the cell phone from the girl’s pocket and saw that it was a text message.

_Perry (6:02pm): Any thoughts for dinner?_

Laura stared at the screen for a few seconds before unlocking the device and deciding to type back.

_Carmilla (6:03pm): This is Laura. Carm’s asleep at the moment._

_Perry (6:04pm): Oh, hello, Laura. Are you hungry?_

_Laura (6:04pm): Yes, but I’d hate to eat without Carm, but I don’t want to wake her up either._

_Perry (6:05pm): She does this fairly often. I usually fix her a plate and stick it in the fridge for when she wakes up hungry in the middle of the night. So don’t worry about that, dear._

Laura bit her lip, getting an idea.

_Carmilla (6:06pm): Would it be possible for me to fix something? Or at least help? I just want to do something nice for her, but I also don’t want to be caught by Ms. Karnstein..._

_Perry (6:07pm): She very rarely comes into the kitchen after dinner, so as long as we don’t make too much noise, we should be fine._

_Carmilla (6:07pm): Great! When would you like me to come down?_

_Perry (6:08pm): Twenty minutes from now should be fine. If I’m not here, just wait for me._

_Carmilla (6:08pm): Okay. See you in a bit._

Laura then tapped the ‘edit’ button and deleted the texts between her and Perry, just in case Carmilla woke up and saw them. She wanted her to be surprised, and she hoped that a simple homemade meal by her would get across that she cared. The entire time she’s been here, Carmilla has been the one to make all the friendly gestures and take care of her. Now it was Laura’s turn. She hadn’t felt like she’d done anything of actual use since she got here, and now was her chance. Setting the phone over on the nightstand, she snuggled back into Carmilla and thought about what she could make her. It didn’t help that she had no idea what the girl even liked. Hopefully Perry would have some ideas. When the twenty minutes were up, Laura carefully extracted herself from under Carmilla, gently putting a pillow in her place.

Moving a few strands of hair out of her face and behind her ear, she looked down at the girl fondly. She looked so small lying there, the most vulnerable Laura’s ever seen her. The bruises around her neck had deepened in color since the last time she’d seen them, her black eye from a few days ago was still there (tears having wiped the makeup away) but faded, and her bottom cut lip was swollen with dried blood. But even with all of that, and more that Laura couldn’t see, she still looked so beautiful. She left her then, quietly making her way around the bed and opening the panel in the wall, slipping through and making her way down the stairs. The blonde was still very careful of the fact that Ms. Karnstein could be around any corner without warning, so when she opened the door that lead out into the pantry, she stopped to listen for any signs of her before moving closer.

Peeking around the doorway, she saw a lone Perry, sitting on a stool at the counter, flipping through a book. Letting out a relieved sigh, she stepped out from the pantry and entered the kitchen. The redhead turned and smiled at her as soon as she made her presence known, and hopped off of the stool. The two of them looked through the cookbook that was already open, looking for a dinner recipe that Carmilla would hopefully enjoy, and Laura couldn’t wait to get her hands dirty...figuratively speaking. It’s been nearly a week since she’s fixed anything, and cooking has always been a way of relieving stress. Not that she had loads of fun doing it, but it was something to take her mind off everything else for a little while. But this time was different. She really wanted to make something good. And hopefully Carmilla would at least not hate it. Crossing her fingers, the cooking began…

“So how long have you worked for Ms. Karnstein?” Laura asked as she carefully peeled a potato.

“A little over ten years.”

“Wow. That’s a long time.”

Perry nodded. “Yes. Though the years seem to fly by pretty fast.”

“How did you get this job?”

“It’s a rather funny story. I knew the last woman who had this job, and she was run off by Carmilla. Back then she was a bit more bratty than she is now. I was hired for my qualifications, and ended up staying because I was able to put Carmilla in her place when needed, and didn’t tolerate her attempts to get rid of me like she’d done with my friend and countless other caretakers. She just didn’t want a babysitter, which one can understand, so I treated her like an adult and didn’t talk down to her like I saw many people do. From then we eventually forged a tentative friendship, and that’s that. When she hit fourteen, my main job as her caretaker wasn’t exactly needed anymore, but Ms. Karnstein kept me to cook and help her when needed. I’m grateful to still be here after so much time, and I don’t know where I’d be if I wasn’t here.”

Laura put the fully peeled potato into the colander and picked up another to work on. “Have you always wanted to be a caretaker or cook?”

“No, it just fell into my lap, really, and I ran with it. Better a job than no job at all. Especially back then when the economy wasn't doing very well.”

Laura nodded, then continued. “You do like it though, yeah?”

“It’s had its ups and downs, but overall, yes. Especially when Carmilla accepted the friendship I offered, it was much more enjoyable.”

It was interesting to learn a little bit more about Perry, and even a little more about how Carmilla was in the past. It was amusing to think of the things she had done to scare off the women hired to take care of her, but it was also sad. Laura was happy that she had someone in her life that was on her side, even when her mother wasn't.

“So, Carmilla is treating you well, yes?” Perry asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

Laura smiled softly and nodded. “Very much so.”

The redhead gave a curt nod. “Good.”

“I hadn’t expected this, to be honest. When I was standing in that line-up at the auction house surrounded by all those men, I would have rather died than be theirs.” Laura thought back to just a few days ago when she’d first seen the girl. “Then Carmilla came up to me and I looked into her eyes...everything felt like it was going to be okay in those few seconds. She looked like she actually cared about what happened to me. I hadn’t even imagined she’d buy me, but I’m grateful. I don’t even like to think of where I’d be, or who I’d be with if it wasn’t for her.”

Perry looked over at Laura. “While I’m not a fan of the slave culture, I’m glad that you ended up with Carmilla as well. She's not like a lot of people her age or of wealthy status. She just wants someone to be close to. I’m not exactly her age, so we don't really connect on the same level as you two seem to. She’s also been a lot softer these past few days. And happier. I haven’t seen her smile so much in a long time. You’re good for her.”

That was nice to hear. It made Lara feel like she was doing something to make a difference in Carmilla's life. And she couldn't help but think that Carmilla was good for her as well. They continued to talk as they prepared the meal, and as it cooked, the doorbell rang. Perry excused herself to go and answer the front door, while Laura kept an eye on everything, and her ears open just in case Ms. Karnstein decided to show herself after all. After a few minutes, she heard Perry’s voice coming from down the hallway. Not knowing who she was talking to, Laura scrambled over to the pantry and hid. The swinging door opened and Perry asked whoever it was to set a box down somewhere. Peeking around the corner as discreetly as she could, the blonde saw a man in a tan uniform set three boxes down on the dining table, and Perry follow behind him with two more. She thanked him as she saw him back out, and Laura came out of her hiding place to wait for the redhead, who returned just a few seconds later.

“It appears the items you two got earlier today have arrived.”

Laura nodded and went over to the table. “I’ll go ahead and take them upstairs while you keep an eye on the food.”

And she did, taking the three boxes first. Thankfully clothes weren’t all that heavy, but she went extra slow to be carefully since she couldn’t see her feet or the steps. When she made it to the third floor, she pushed opened the door and quietly padded across the room and set the boxes down by the closet. Before she went back downstairs, she checked on Carmilla, who was in the same position as Laura had left her, still fast asleep. She smiled to herself before heading back the way she came. The two boxes left didn’t take as long to get upstairs. They were smaller and lighter, her underwear and socks she guessed, and put them with the rest. When she got back to the kitchen a second time, Perry was just sliding the pan into the oven, so she made herself busy in cutting up the rest of the potatoes and then putting them in the pot on the stove to boil. She could barely contain her excitement.

When Carmilla woke up later that night, the first thing she noticed before even opening her eyes, was a tiny body pressed up against her back, and an arm around her waist. Normally she wouldn’t have liked this kind of position, but knowing it was Laura, there was just something different that made her sink into it rather than want to move away. She could feel puffs of hot breath on the back of her neck, and strangely that made her smile. Everything about Laura was just so comforting, and she didn’t understand it, but she was going to try and stop questioning it. Especially because it felt so good. Why ruin it by thinking too hard about it? Putting her hand over Laura’s that was resting against her stomach, she trailed her thumb over the soft skin, wishing that they could just spend forever like this. However, her body had other things in mind.

The pain meds were wearing off, so her body felt like one big dull ache, and not to mention that she was starving, no doubt having missed meal time. _And_ she had to pee. Ugh. Sighing to herself, she gently removed the arm from around her and guided it down on the bed where she’d been. Sitting up, Carmilla rubbed the sleep from her eyes and went to grab her phone. There she found something she wasn’t expecting. Stuck to the screen was a yellow sticky note.

_Your dinner is in the fridge! -L_

Laura’s handwriting was very neat and bubbly, much like she would have imagined it would be. She smiled again, turning and leaning down to press a lingering kiss to Laura’s forehead before taking the sticky note off of her phone and putting it into the top drawer of the nightstand. Pressing the power button, the cell phone lit up and showed 1:23AM. Placing it back where it was, she finally stood up, stretching as she yawned, hearing a few bones popping in different places of her body. In the bathroom, she wasted no time in getting two more pain killers from the medicine cabinet and swallowing them with a palm full of water. After using the toilet, she quietly made her way downstairs, not wanting to disturb anyone, and when she made it down to the kitchen, she went straight for the fridge. There, on the second shelf was a plastic container with another sticky note, this time with _Carm_ written on it on Laura’s writing.

Pulling it out, she took the note off, but not before realizing that there was another one underneath it. Taking the top one off, she found more writing, and eagerly read it.

_I wanted to do something for you, and cooking is more of my specialty. Perry told me that you seemed to really like this dish, so I fixed it for you with love...and a little help from her. Hope you like it! -Laura_

And this time after her name, there was a tiny heart, which she took a finger and traced for a moment. She didn’t need to do this, but Carmilla was very appreciative. Setting the note aside, because of course she was going to keep it, she took the lid off of the container and found a piece of chicken breast, boiled potatoes, and some brussel sprouts. Perry was right, she did enjoy this meal quite a bit. Maybe this would constitute as her favorite meal. Again, she’d never really thought about it, but hey, it’s never too late to learn something about yourself. She microwaved the meal and sat herself down at the counter and ate faster than she normally would on these nights. It just tasted so good, she couldn't help herself. There was something distinctively different in the way it tasted than it usually did when Perry fixed it. Laura definitely knew what she was doing (not to say that the redhead didn’t, though). It was delicious, and frankly, if she had a bigger stomach, she would have wanted more.

When she was finished, she rinsed the container out and then put it in the dishwasher, then headed back upstairs. She felt lighter on her feet somehow. Even though she was still hurting, it was like nothing at the moment could ruin her giddy high. Laura had done something really nice for her. Something that she hadn’t asked for. Something that she had wanted to do. Carmilla even had a hard time brushing her teeth properly because she couldn’t stop smiling. God, she was becoming one of those love-sick fools...and she didn’t mind it. Okay, “not minding it” was an understatement. She loved it, and the way it made her heart skip a beat. Not that she’d ever admit that out loud. At least not at this point in time. Maybe one day she would find the words to express to Laura just how she felt. But until that day, she would continue to do her best to show the blonde through her actions, hoping that it would be enough for now.

After putting the other two sticky notes away in the drawer, she crawled into bed. They had been sleeping on top of the covers, and she didn't want to wake Laura up, so Carmilla had grabbed a blanket from her closet and threw it over them. As she laid down, wrapping her arms around the girl, Laura hummed in her ear as she woke up, hand sliding up Carmilla’s forearm affectionately.

“Hi.” Laura said, eyelids still heavy.

Carmilla sat up on her elbow and looked down at her. “Hey.”

“Made you dinner.”

“I know.”

“Did you like it?”

She nodded. “I loved it. Thank you.”

Laura smiled, and Carmilla was lost in those tired, brown eyes. She was so adorable, it was almost unbearable. Almost. After a few seconds of staring at each other, Laura was the one to break contact, eyes flickering down to her lips. The hand on her arm gripped firmer, and she took that as a sign. She wanted to close the distance just as much as Laura seemed to. Letting her hand leave the blonde’s waist, she cupped the soft skin of her cheek and slowly leaned down. Carmilla made sure to give Laura enough time to pull away, just in case she changed her mind. But she didn’t. She had waited patiently. Lips met in a familiar, but electrifying way. She could hear her heart thumping in her ears for those few seconds. She still couldn’t believe that she was allowed to kiss this girl. And when they parted, she sucked in air like she had been holding her breath underwater. Laura took her breath away. Literally.

“Goodnight, Carm.” Laura breathed out against her neck.

“Night, Cutie.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fanfic Tumblr is ceceash.tumblr.com if you you have any questions, I'll answer them over there.


	13. Day 6

It’s been three days since the kisses in the bathroom (and in bed) and Carmilla had yet to mention anything about it. Every time Laura thinks about it, she’s torn. It’s just now barely been a week that she’s been in the girl’s life, and she knows that’s too fast for any romantic relationship, but she can’t help but already miss where they were at. It wasn’t like they were awkward with each other now, everything was pretty much the same as before, except less touching on Carmilla’s end. Usually she would hold hands with her any chance they got, so the absence of it now was quite glaring. Laura wanted to ask about it, but she didn’t want to make things weird. But she also knew that they had to talk about them at some point. She wanted to know if they were on the same page, or far apart. Right now, it seemed more like the latter, unfortunately.

Carmilla sat across from the blonde at the table out on the patio as they ate. It was clear that Laura was in deep thought about something, and she really wanted to know what. But in the back of her mind, she had a feeling what it was, because she was thinking about it too. The day they kissed, their relationship had changed. No longer were they just close friends (if you could even call them that), they were more. The term closest to their situation was ‘friends with benefits’, although there had been no more benefits. That was mostly her decision though. She knew that Laura had been into the kisses when they were happening, but she had no idea what she thought about it after the fact, having had time to think about it. So she made a point to back off, even if that’s the last thing that she wanted. It was only fair to Laura, and she didn’t want to pressure her into anything.

Laura had lost count of the times within the past three days of times when they could have kissed again. Or maybe that was just the times that she wanted to kiss Carmilla. Either way, it was irritating. This whole new feeling bubbling up inside of her was frustrating and confusing. It was only a matter of time before she said ‘fuck it’ and just straight-up asked Carmilla what was going on with them. Why did everything have to be so difficult? Not only was she perplexed by her emotions, but physically, she ached. Ached for those near-constant touches, for kisses, for...something she wasn’t even ready to think about yet. It didn’t help that she was annoyed with being cooped up in the mansion. They had mainly stayed upstairs since Ms. Karnstein was there. Sure, Carmilla had her own movie theater, library of hundreds of books, and even a music room to keep both of them occupied, but she still felt trapped.

Carmilla could sense Laura’s restlessness over the past few days, and she had tried to keep them busy, but nothing seemed to work for long. She still didn’t know too much about where Laura had come from and how she grew up, but it was obvious that she was a much more active person than Carmilla was. She was simple, not needing much of anything to stay relatively content. She read her books, watched movies, surfed the internet, and occasionally went on walks around the grounds and stargazed at night. Though now that she thought about it, maybe she was only that way because she’d never had a friend to actually go out and do things with (save for the few months that her and Will had hung out together). Shaking her head, she stabbed her eggs with her fork, breakfast was not the time to be having revelations about her life choices. 

Laura knew that something was plaguing Carmilla too, though she didn’t know if it was kiss related, mother related, or something else that she didn’t even know about. It was hard to read the girl, especially when she was trying to hide what she was feeling. Yeah, they really did need to talk. No time ever seemed like the right time, though. But she needed to know. There was no way that she could last another day of pretending that what happened didn’t actually happen. It did, and even though the circumstances surrounding it were shitty, it had felt right. Biting her lip, she observed the girl from across the table. Over the last few days, she hadn’t bothered to put on makeup to cover her bruises. It’s not like they’d gone anywhere, and they had mostly stayed up on the third floor anyway. She liked that Carmilla didn’t feel the need to hide them from her anymore. Showing some vulnerability showed at least some level of trust, which was good.

Carmilla felt Laura’s eyes on her then, much like she had the past three days. She’d just been ignoring it, but there was only so long that would work, and she knew it would be best to just nip it in the bud. 

“Need something, Buttercup?” She asked, finally letting their eyes meet.

“Can I ask you something?” Laura replied, surprising herself at the solidness of her voice.

Carmilla could argue that she just did ask something, but instead simply nodded. “Of course.”

It didn’t take a genius to know what was coming next. It had only been a matter of time before one of them broke. No surprise it was Laura though, Carmilla had mastered the art of keeping things to herself by now.

Laura took a deep breath, not knowing if this would go over well. “What are we...exactly?” 

Carmilla blankly stared at her for a few moments, then lowered her eyes back to her plate. 

“I just hate not knowing where we stand now.” Laura continued. “Particularly since you have noticeably pulled away.”

She sighed. “I just didn’t want to overwhelm you...especially since I don’t know how you felt about what happened.” 

“You could have just asked me.”

She made it sound so easy. And maybe it was for normal people, not emotionally stunted people like her. She didn’t know how to talk about these things. But Laura made her want to try. 

“And how do you feel?” 

Just then, Perry came out onto the patio, stalling the conversation. 

“Here’s your mail, Carmilla.” She said, holding out a lone envelope.

Carmilla sat her utensil down on the plate and pushed it towards Perry, before taking the mail in her hands. She saw Laura give Perry a forced smile as she handed over her plate as well, clearly disappointed with the interruption in conversation that had taken days to start, but only seconds to end. Looking at the logo on the top left of the letter, she then flipped it over to rip it open.

“It’s from the auction house…” She muttered to herself.

That caught Laura’s attention. She hoped something hadn’t gone wrong...

Reaching into the envelope, Carmila pulled out a piece of paper and a laminated card. The card had her picture on one side, with her information below it, and Laura’s picture and information on the other side. It was her ID card that was proof that Laura was legally hers, in case something were to happen or she was questioned about it. It’s been six days since she bought Laura, so she’d completely forgotten about the ID, which she probably shouldn’t have been roaming around town without.

“It’s my owner ID. Finally. Who delivered it, The Pony Express?”

Laura relaxed, and smiled at Carmilla’s quip, despite herself. 

“You know they’ve been reworking the mailing system.” Perry said, picking up the two dirty plates on the table. “Soon everyone will be able to get these things instantly via email. It’s actually a better, faster way. And saves paper.”

When Carmilla ignored her comment, Perry excused herself back into the kitchen, leaving the two girls alone again. Carmilla read over the piece of paper, which pretty much just said to keep the ID on her at all times when out in public. Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Standing up, she made her way into the house, stopping to throw away the piece of paper before heading back upstairs to their room. Once she got there, Carmilla picked up her wallet and stuck it in the slip behind her driver’s license. When she tossed it onto the nightstand, Laura walked in, having caught up with her. She closed the door behind her and Carmilla sat on the edge of the bed, not really knowing how to continue the conversation that was started downstairs. 

“So…”

“I really like you.” Laura blurted out. “That’s how I feel.”

Carmilla smiled and grabbed Laura’s hand, pulling her down to sit on her lap. She wrapped her arms around her small waist, and Laura’s automatically circled her neck. Carmilla rested her head on the blonde’s shoulder, and hugged her tighter. She wanted Laura to know that she felt the same way. It was such a relief to know that she hadn’t completely messed up...it just seemed like things happened so fast for the both of them, that they haven’t really had time to actually process. Since they met, it has been a whirlwind of emotions, most of which were really good, but it would have been so different if certain things hadn’t occured. Living in the mansion, they were just so contained, and never really felt like they were alone to have the chance to really get to know each other without interruptions. They really just needed their own space.

“How would you like to go somewhere?” Carmilla asked suddenly, nuzzling into Laura’s neck.

“Where?”

Right...where? She hadn’t thought that far ahead yet. If it was just going to be the two of them, she didn’t want to go too far, but still far enough so that they could feel like they were really out on their own. Well, there was one place...

“Graz.” She finally pulled back, looking Laura in the eye. “It’s only about an hour away, but they have festivals and stuff all through spring and summer. Maybe we could go spend some time there...just you and me. Where we don’t have to worry about my mother, or Perry interrupting things.”

Laura nodded, smiling shyly. “I’d really like that.”

“Good.”

Carmilla couldn’t take the cuteness anymore, so she leaned forward, gently brushing their noses before tilting her head and placed a lingering kiss on Laura’s cheek (which had healed quite fast and showed no more signs of ever having a bruise there at all). Carmilla was happy it was gone, it being a reminder of what happened, and she still felt such immense guilt for it happening in the first place. She didn’t care what anyone did to her, but touch Laura, and fists will fly. She just wished she could have knocked that guy out rather than him getting the drop on her. But that’s over now, and Laura has told her time and time again over the past few days that it wasn’t her fault. Maybe one day Carmilla would believe that, but the truth is that Laura is in her care, and that’s exactly what she’s supposed to be doing, is caring for her. And she’d failed. So if she couldn’t take it back, she would make it up to her. 

“So, when are we going on this little adventure?” Laura said, leaning into her and giving her a quick peck on her cheek as well.

“As soon as possible. So you might as well start packing.”

The blonde let out an excited squeal, and Carmilla released her from her lap with a chuckle. 

“Luggage bags are in the back of the closet.”

While Laura was busy packing her things into one of the bags that she pulled out from the closet, Carmilla went about searching the internet for a place for them to stay while in Graz. She didn't really want them to stay in a regular hotel. She wanted Laura to feel as at home and comfortable as possible, so the hunt for apartments began. By the time lunch came, she found one that was suitable. She didn’t know how long Laura would want to stay, but she booked the place for two weeks. And of course being a Karnstein, the guy on the phone told her that they wouldn’t book that room until she is sure when they were going to leave. While Carmilla was thankful for that, she still wondered what it was like to just be treated like a normal person.

Nevertheless, she couldn’t wait to get away and have Laura all to herself. To get to know her outside of the oppressive mansion. And since she wasn’t in the least bit kidding when she said she wanted to leave as soon as possible, they would leave in the afternoon the very next day. As she packed her own suitcase, going through the clothes in her closet, Laura sat on the bed. She was currently half reading, half watching her attempt to collect the exact clothes that she wants. This was actually a new thing for Carmilla. Usually Perry would do all of her packing for her. Not that she was helpless, just lazy. And she kind of wished that she had enlisted Perry’s help, because once she finally chose all her clothes, fitting them all into the bag was a feat in itself.

Rearranging, stuffing, and sitting on the case finally allowed her to zip it up, she sighed as she straightened her back. “Fuck…”

A giggle then came from behind her, so she turned around, seeing Laura peeking over the top of her book.

“What are you laughing at?” She asked playfully.

Laura straightened her face and lowered her eyes back to the text. “Nothing. Nothing at all.” 

Uh huh. Turning back around, Carmilla picked up the suitcase and hobbled her way over to the door, groaning as she plopped it down on the floor, resting it against Laura’s. Ugh, she just wanted to be in Graz already. Heading towards the bed, she saw that the blonde was smiling to herself, still amused, but not hiding it this time as she set the book on the nightstand to her right. 

“Something funny?”

Laura shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. You sitting on that suitcase was pretty entertaining.”

Carmilla smirked, narrowing her eyes at the girl as she sauntered over to the bed. “I know something else that is pretty entertaining…”

Laura raised a curious eyebrow before Carmilla lunged forward and tackled her, pushing her down on the bed, then tickling her sides. She squealed and squirmed, laughing uncontrollably as she tried to push the fingers away. Thankfully, the assault didn’t last too long, and both of their giggles died out when they stared at each other, bodies pressing into each other, faces close. The blonde wanted nothing more than to close the gap between them, but she held back. No matter how much she wanted to disregard everything and kiss her for the rest of the evening, they needed to talk before they engaged in any intimate activity. For now, she would settle for enjoying their closeness that had been regained today, and rolled Carmilla off of her and next to her on the bed, where she cuddled into her.

“You’re lucky you’re so cute.” Carmilla said before leaning over and kissing Laura’s nose.

Yeah...tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough.


	14. Day 7

When the alarm clock went off the next morning, Carmilla nearly jumped out of her hyde. She’d woken up only fifteen minutes prior to use the bathroom and was drifting back off when the screech of the device permeated the quiet room. She groaned angrily, even though it was eleven o’clock, not like it was six in the morning or something, but still, she was tired from the tossing and turning she’d done that night. It had been nearly impossible to turn off her brain, because she was so excited to leave today. Leaning over, she hit the alarm clock haphazardly, in turn accidentally knocking it onto the floor with a loud clatter. Ugh. She buried her head back into the pillow and pulled the blanket over her head. She technically didn’t have to get up for another few hours, but Laura had insisted that she get up at a decent hour. 

She did end up falling back asleep, but when she woke up for the third time, there was a warm hand on her arm, gently nudging her. Normally if Perry tried this, she would probably have bitten her head off for waking her up, but she knew it was Laura. So, she reached out without even bothering to open her eyes, and found the blonde’s waist, wrapping her arm around it and pulling her down onto the bed. The girl let out a small yelp of surprise, then landed with a sigh on the bed next to her. Carmilla wasted no time in cuddling closer, resting her head on the swell of Laura’s t-shirt covered breast. She felt the girl shift for a moment before fingers weaved through her hair and scratched her scalp. Yeah, if it had been Laura’s intention to come and get her out of bed, the plan certainly backfired. As long as this was happening, she wasn’t inclined to move an inch. 

“You know you’re gonna have to get up sooner or later.” 

“Later it is, then.” Carmilla muttered the reply with a smirk.

“Oh, come on! Aren’t you excited?”

“Yes. And that’s why I didn’t sleep well last night, and why I’m tired now.”

“Poor Carm. But you could take a nap when we get there…”

“Sure, you say that now. But I have no doubt as soon as I laid down on the bed you would barrage me with pleas to explore.”

Laura stayed silent, knowing that was true, but pursed her lips and glowered to herself anyway.

“I can literally hear you pouting.” Carmilla said, amused. 

“Hmph.”

Carmilla knew that the girl’s irritation was fake for the most part, but she couldn’t hold out for much longer with the girl being so adorable. “Five more minutes and I’ll get up.”

“Finally!” She giggled. “You take a shower and I’ll heat up your lunch.”

A kiss was placed on her temple before Laura’s warm body slipped out from under her. She had meant five more minutes of them in that position, but since that wasn’t gonna happen, the five minutes didn’t really mean as much to her. So she sat up, running a hand through her bed head, yawning in the process. Today was going to be a good day, she could feel it. Well, it would be once they get out on the road. She still had yet to tell Perry anything about what she’d planned, in hopes that they would be able to leave without having to face her mother and her questions first. Once she was out of the shower and blow dried her hair, she came back into the bedroom to find Laura setting up a tray by the bed and placing her food on it. She really didn’t need to do that, but the sentiment was nice. 

Though she couldn’t help but remind herself that that’s what most people buy their slaves for. But she also had to remind herself that hadn’t ordered Laura to do that either. Ugh, this wasn’t the time to be having an internal battle, there were other things more important at hand. She thanked Laura as they switched places, her sitting on the bed to eat and the blonde into the restroom to finish getting ready. It was leftovers from last night when they had spaghetti. As she chewed, Carmilla took out her phone and texted Kirsch, asking him to fill up the gas tank in her car. He knew better than to ask questions, and texted her back when he was finished, and told her to have a good time wherever she was going. She liked the big doof, and was happy that she didn’t have to worry about him spilling anything she says or does to her mother. 

When she was done with her food, she used the passageway to take her plate back down stairs. Hoping to avoid Perry for at least a little bit longer, she moved fast but light on her feet when she entered the kitchen...but as she put her plate into the sink, the door swung open, revealing the curly-haired redhead. 

“Oh, good afternoon, Carmilla.” Perry said cheerfully.

“Yo.” She replied, and internally smacked herself.

Yo? When has she ever uttered that dudebro sounding word? Oh, right...never.

“Are you and Laura alright?” The woman asked, approaching her with a frown.

“Yeah, of course, why wouldn’t we be?” 

Carmilla flipped on the water and started washing her plate off as a distraction. 

“Because both of you are acting weird.”

She scoffed. “That’s...preposterous.” 

Perry narrowed her eyes. “Carmilla Karnstein, what are you up to?” 

“God, what makes you think I’m up to something?”

“You never clean your own plate, for one. Two, you won’t even look me in the eye. And three, Laura was quite giddy and fidgety this morning. Now, tell me what you are up to.”

“God, Perry, I’m an adult. Quit treating me like I’m a child.” She replied, irritated.

“Well then stop acting like a child that is hiding something.”

Carmilla sighed heavily, putting the plate down in the sink and turning the water off. “For fucks sake. Laura and I are gonna take a little vacation.”

Perry’s frown deepened. “Vacation? Where?”

“If I tell you, you will probably show up and try to babysit us. We want some alone time.”

“And what am I supposed to tell your mother when she asks where you are?”

Carmilla let out a humorless laugh. “You still think she cares? If she notices I’m gone, it’s only because she wants something.”

Something to beat on usually, and she’s glad she’ll be away from that for a least a little while.

“If she needs me for something or wants information, tell her to text me.”

Perry crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s dangerous to not let someone know where you’re going. What if something happens and you can’t contact us because you’re kidnapped?”

“Why do you always go for the worse-case scenario?”

“Because bad things happen in the world, Carmilla. And I’d rather not have to be the one to identify your body in the future.”

Carmilla rolled her eyes. “If I tell you, you promise to keep it quiet?”

“Unless your mother asks, yes.”

She knew that was the best she was going to get out of the redhead.

“Graz.”

The woman nodded. “See, what that so hard?”

“Yes. Now, I’m going back upstairs...we’re leaving in a few.”

“Wait, you’re leaving today?!” She nearly screeched. “Thanks for the warning!”

Carmilla hung her head out of exhaustion. “Perry, you are the most dramatic person I’ve ever met.”

When she finally made it back upstairs, Laura was sitting on the bed, attempting to read the book she had abandoned the day before, but Carmilla could tell just by the bopping of her foot, it wasn’t doing much to quell her excitement. She looked at her watch, then sighed playfully.

“Alright, let’s get ready to go.” 

“EEP!” Laura squeaked, launching herself off of the bed.

She loved seeing the girl so happy, and it lit up her heart in ways that she couldn’t explain. After packing toiletries for each of them and putting them in two small purse-sized bags, Carmilla carried hers and Laura’s suitcases (with some difficulty) down the stairs and to the front door. Perry opened it for them and she sat the bags onto the gravel. Before the redhead went on a tangent about making sure they had everything they needed, and started to list off statistics on kidnappings, Carmilla took her keys out of her pocket and held them up, making them jingle.

“I’m gonna go get the car.” She said before starting to walk around the house.

“Kirsch isn’t driving us?” Laura called, confused...she had just assumed.

“Nope!” Carmilla said over her shoulder with a smile.

Huh. Laura had no idea that Carmilla could even drive. She never thought the girl was helpless or anything, just spoiled. And she liked that they were actually going to be doing this on their own. In the few minutes that Carmilla was gone, Perry had talked at hyper-speed about being safe, and if they needed anything to just give her a call. Laura was sure her attempt to reassure the redhead had fallen on deaf ears, so all she could do was nod along. Thankfully when they both heard the low rumble of the car pulling up, the frantic babbling stopped. Not that Laura would have heard it anyway, and not because of the noise of the car, but because holy crapsticks, it was a very nice, classic muscle car, it’s candy-apple red paint job glimmering in the sun. If she was honest with herself...seeing Carmilla behind the wheel was a bit of a turn on.

The car pulled up in front of them, and by the time Laura regained any semblance of control back, Carmilla was out and picking the bags up off the ground. The trunk ended up not being big enough for both of their suitcases, so Carmilla put hers in the back seat, leaving Laura’s and both their small bags with their toiletries safely in the trunk. Once they said their goodbyes to Perry and escaped the hug after hug and another lecture about safety, they both got into the car. The door creaked a little as she got in and closed it with a solid thump, Carmilla doing the same, then grabbing the shift and putting it in drive. She revved the engine a little as they moved forward, then followed the long gravel driveway onto the highway. Laura couldn’t remember the last time she was this excited for something, and she couldn’t keep the smile off her face.

Before heading to Graz, though, they stopped in town to get some cash. Carmilla didn’t want to it any easier for her mother to find exactly where they were if she used her credit card, because really, she wasn’t stupid enough to think that her mother didn’t have tabs on everything she did outside of the mansion. It was incredibly frustrating, and it was like she was a looming shadow over her most of the time, just waiting to pounce. Not this time. This time, she had no one to obey. They could go anywhere, do anything they wanted, and not have to worry. The feeling was so nice, she couldn’t ever remember feeling so free. She wondered if this was what it would be like to live on her own, with just Laura by her side. If so, maybe moving wasn’t such a scary thing after all. However, she could think about that later. Right now, she focused on the road, taking them to their reprieve. 

There was also something so freeing and relaxing as they drove through the green forest covered mountains, so beautiful, even though it wasn’t at it’s most vibrant yet. It would be a better view if there weren’t so many houses just off of the road that kind of ruined the picturesque views, but oh well. 

“Look at the cute cows!” Laura said, pointing out the window.

Yes, they were cows alright. Nothing to really write home about, but she guessed they were kind of cute...if Laura said so. She was always pointing out something they were passing, whether it was a pretty river, a cute house, or claiming that she saw something that looked suspiciously like a bigfoot on one of the mountains in the distance. It was entertaining to say the least, and even though sometimes ridiculous, it made Carmilla like Laura that much more. The ride was extra hard though, because she couldn’t reach out and hold her hand, as she needed it for the stick shift (the only downside to this car). Well, more trunk space would have been nice too, but you get the picture. And maybe it was just bad luck, but they kept getting stuck behind slow as fuck drivers. Ugh, it was a highway for Christ sake, get with the program! 

But alas, they made it to Graz in an hour and thirty minutes, and with Laura spouting off directions from Carmilla’s phone, they made it to the apartment building pretty easily. It was located in what seemed to be the epicenter of the city, or very close. Laura couldn’t tell not having been there before. Even though Carmilla had been here several times, she had said it was mostly for events that she was dragged to by her mother, and she hadn’t gotten to explore anything on her own, so this was a bit of a first-time experience for her too, which somehow made her feel better. She always thought of Carmilla as the experienced one between them, but as the days went by, she was surprised to find out that wasn’t exactly the case. Anyhow, she was happy that they would be figuring this out together. That made this trip extra special.

Once Carmilla found a parking spot, she saw Laura take the collar out of her pocket and quickly put it on before stepping out of the car. They lugged the suitcases into the building, which was a nice red color, with white window accents, and the typical Graz orange-ish rooftop. After checking in and getting their key, they took the elevator up to the second highest floor, which was the ninth, and unlocked the door, revealing a spacious and spotless apartment. Finally. Locking the door behind them, Carmilla immediately went searching for the bedroom, whilst Laura had already taken off and disappeared into another room. She let the girl have her fun, and opened the bedroom door, letting the suitcases fall to the floor. It anyone was below them, they were probably annoyed at the sudden clatter above them, but she was too tired to care.

Just then, Laura came popping into the room like an excited child. “This place has a balcony, and the view is so pretty! Oh, the bed looks so comfy…” She said, smiling as she sat on the edge and bounced a little. 

“It does. And it’s calling my name.” Carmilla replied, jumping onto the plush comforter, nearly launching Laura off.

“Carm!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be posting reference pictures of Carmilla's car and everywhere they go in Graz that's mentioned in the story. So, if you're interested in seeing those, follow my fanfiction Tumblr (ceceash.tumblr.com).


	15. Day 8

Carmilla woke up with her phone vibrating against the wooden nightstand, and while she wanted to ignore it, it was best to just see who it was (although she had a clue). Freeing one hand from around Laura’s waist, she rubbed her eyes before looking over at the digital clock. It was seven in the morning, ugh. They hadn’t really done much the rest of the evening the previous day, only walking down the street to get dinner, then explored the streets surrounding their apartment building to get familiar with the new setting. Thankfully, Laura understood that since she hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep, she hadn’t really been energetic enough to do anything beyond that. And so they spend the rest of the time before bed scoping out what they could do in the coming days.

Laura didn’t research much though, she liked to be surprised, but Carmilla liked to have an idea of what they would be doing. Spontaneity had never been her forte, however, she was hoping that this trip would inspire her to do it more. The phone buzzed again, causing her to let out a deep sigh. She reached over and scooped it up, with the screen still lit, showing a list of missed calls and messages Perry left...and even a few from Kirsch. Of course. She hadn’t texted the woman last night to let her know that they had made it safely to their apartment, and now she was paying for it. She knew she had to read them all and respond sooner or later. But the longer she waited, the more out of sorts the redhead would undoubtedly get. Why did she have to be such a worry wart when she was out of the house?

_Perry (8:00pm): Good evening, Carmilla. I just thought I’d check in and see if you two made it to the apartment safely._

_Perry (8:15pm): Carmilla, please respond as soon as you get this. I would like to know that you and Laura are fine._

_Perry (9:02pm): This is getting ridiculous. Text me._

_Perry (10:30pm): Don’t think I won’t call the cops!_

_Perry (11:22pm): I’m serious, Carmilla Karnstein!_

_Kirsch (11:45pm): Hey, Carm-sexy! Hope you’re having a good time, and I hope that’s the reason you aren’t answering Red’s texts!!_

_Kirsch (11:50pm): Seriously tho, just let her know you aren’t dead, she’s super worried._

_Perry (2:34am): I’ll wait until morning, but if I haven’t heard from you by noon, I will indeed call the cops and tell them that you are missing!_

Perry was off her rocker, but Carmilla couldn’t really blame her sometimes. She hadn’t taken her phone when they’d gone to eat for this very reason, not wanting to be badgered, but this definitely made her learn a lesson. Responding to Perry as quickly as possible was the way to go, unfortunately. She slowly pulled her other arm out from under Laura’s head so she could text back with both hands. The girl next to her only whimpered in her sleep due to the lost contact, and shifted onto her back, still out of it.

****_Carmilla (7:10am): We’re fine, Perry._

_Perry (7:10am): CARMILLA KARNSTEIN WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!_

_Carmilla (7:11am): Don’t yell at me over text._

_*INCOMING CALL: PERRY*_

The phone vibrated in her hand before she hit “Decline”, then typed out a response.

****_Carmilla (7:12am): Can’t talk, I don’t want to wake Laura up._

_Perry (7:12am): Next time text me back when I ask if you’re okay! I need to know that either of you has not been raped, kidnapped, or killed!_

_Carmilla (7:13am): Well you know we’re perfectly okay now, so no more worrying._

_Carmilla (7:13am): You should get some sleep too. Some rest will do you good._

_Perry (7:14am): I’m dead serious, Carmilla...I was beyond scared that something actually happened to you._

_Carmilla (7:15am): I left my cell here when we went to go eat down the street, and we fell asleep before you texted. I’m sorry I missed all your messages, but you have to let us be. The whole point of this trip was to get away from everyone. I love you, but you smother me._

_Perry (7:16am): Well, I’m sorry for caring! Good day, Carmilla._

She groaned and let her head hit the pillow with a soft poof. She would apologize later, but now was the time where she didn’t want any stress to affect the time she had with Laura. So, kissing the blonde’s forehead, she got out of bed, grabbed some clothes from the suitcase (that she still hadn’t unpacked), and headed for the shower. Even though the water couldn’t just wash away all of her problems, the soothing warmth made her forget for just a little while, and that was enough for now. When she was dried and fully dressed, she walked back into the bedroom where Laura was sitting up in bed, listening to the weather man relay what kind of day it was going to be. Not that she trusted meteorologists, because they were wrong a lot of the time. The weather can change on a dime and make fools of them, so she never really paid attention to it. But Laura seemed pleased by the forecast.

“Cloudy with a chance of the sun peeking through at some point mid-day.” She said, putting the TV on mute. “Or at least that’s what I got from the visuals since I don’t speak a lick of German.”

“Who needs sunshine outside, when I have my own personal sun right here.” Carmilla replied, joining her in the bed.

Laura lowered her head and blushed. “While that’s very sweet, I can’t light up the sky when we’re sightseeing.”

“Just be happy it’s not hot yet. I’ll take cloudy days over the sun bearing down on us anytime.”

“Don’t be a soggy blanket. The sun provides vital Vitamin D!”

Carmilla frowned. “What happens to people who are allergic to the sun?”

Laura sat there for a few moments, thinking, but eventually waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t try and distract me, Carmilla Karnstein.” She said, getting up out of the bed. “Now, I’m going to take a shower, and after we are going to have breakfast and go explore. Rain or shine, nothing will stop me!”

Carmilla didn’t doubt that one bit. And an hour later, they finally left the apartment and walked down the street to find something to eat. It didn’t take long to find a nice place, and luckily it wasn’t too busy. To the left, there were a couple blackboards on the wall, listing the breakfast, lunch, and dinner specials. They took a seat in the corner, further away from the nearest customer, and were quickly given menus. They stayed quiet for most of the meal, both still waking up, but the coffee was helping. When she was done and waiting on Laura, she sat back in her chair, observing her surroundings. Soft music in the background, the murmurs of people talking to their breakfast partners, the scuffle of employees walking behind the counter. It was nice. And not as scary being on her own with Laura than she had anticipated. Maybe it was because they weren’t far from home, but at this point, she didn’t care why.

When Laura finished as well, Carmilla paid and they set off down the street, continuing to roam around at their own pace, rather than have an actual schedule to do things. It wasn’t long before Laura’s hand found it’s way into hers, and she smiled to herself, lacing their fingers together. In this new setting, she actually felt like they were just a normal couple out for a walk. However, she knew if she looked over to the girl walking next to her, she would see the collar around her neck, and the perfect moment would be shattered. Though she didn’t let herself be reminded that way, it was inevitable when a good amount of people on the street walking by wore collars as well, some even leashes. She never could look for too long. It always made her uncomfortable, not knowing how those people were being treated at home. Though some owners weren’t afraid to behave just as bad in front of people as they would at home. Those are the ones that Carmilla has to restrain herself around.

“Oh my gosh, Carmilla, look at that!” Laura said, bringing her out of her thoughts.

She looked up to her right...and there was...well, she didn’t quite know. It was a building, she assumed, even though it looked like nothing she’d ever seen before. It was blue. It was big. And she had no idea why a city would want this monstrosity. Whatever it was, it was hideous. Taking out her phone, she read the banner that hung by the door and did the thing any other teen would do...looked it up on Wikipedia. Typing in “Kunsthaus Graz”, she got the answer to their curious minds.

“It’s basically an art gallery for all mediums.” She said, closing her phone and putting it back in her pocket.

“Want to?” Laura asked, tugging on her hand.

“We’ll do anything you want, Sweetheart.”

Laura smiled and hopped a little before giggling. “Come on!”

And for the next few hours, they walked around the spacious, weird...blue blob. Though on the inside it was mostly a sleek white, gray, or silver on every surface. Not everything was odd, she actually enjoyed some of the paintings and photographs, but the sculptures...that was something that she would probably never get. Most were just odd shapes, and she had no idea what they were supposed to symbolize or why they were special enough to make it into a gallery in the first place. Laura seemed to be enjoying everything she saw, so obviously that is what makes the whole thing worth it. Carmilla found herself watching the blonde’s eyes light up when she saw something new, than actually looking at the rest of the art. Nothing would ever hold a candle to the beauty of her. When they finally came out of the building, It was early evening, and they decided to walk back to the apartment to rest for a little while.

“That had to be the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen.” Carmilla stated, talking about the building as they walked back into their apartment.

“While I don’t like putting artists down, I have to agree. I commend the strive to be different, but it is quite ugly. It is completely out of place in a city full of gorgeous, historic buildings. A sore thumb, if you will.”

Yeah, Laura was being way too nice. It looked like a dead artery. Wait...ARTery. She rolled her eyes at her own pun, not daring to say it out loud and embarrass herself. Instead, she continued the conversation.

“It looks like it’s some underwater creature that lives in complete darkness because it’s too ugly to be seen by anybody.”

Laura chuckled as she entered the bathroom. “Alright, enough bashing. People worked hard on that...thing.”

“Fine. Fine.” She relented, taking off her shoes and collapsing on the bed, letting out a satisfied sigh.

Taking her phone out of her pocket, she checked to see if she had any messages. She didn’t. Perry must still be mad at her. Opening their conversation window, she typed out a message, sent it, then put it on the nightstand.

_Carmilla (7:47pm): We’re back at the apartment for the night. Just so you know, we’re safe._

She wasn’t expecting a reply, but she knew Perry would at least read her message. The only thing worse than a constant barrage of messages was the silent treatment. Hopefully that would be over soon if she kept the redhead in the loop. Letting her eyes close, she laid back into the bed, letting her muscles relax.

“Tired already?” The blonde asked, coming out of the bathroom and climbing into bed, cuddling up against her side.

“Just wanted to rest my feet for a while, and if my eyes happen to join in, then that’s just a bonus.”

She could feel Laura shake her head slightly against her shoulder, and swears she felt a quick peck of warm lips, but that may have just been the girl adjusting her position. Either way, she slipped her arm around her back, bringing her closer. They stayed like that for a while, not needing to fill the silence, just being happy with each other’s company. But she could almost hear the gears in Laura’s brain turning, and she didn’t have to wait too long before she spoke up.

“So...you never did tell me how you feel.” Laura said softly, as if afraid of the response she’d get.

“About what?”

Yeah, she played stupid, but she wanted to make sure that she knew where Laura was going with this conversation.

“Us.”

“Oh. Right.”

Laura wrapped an arm around Carmilla middle. “I know you aren’t really good with words, but...that’s okay. You don’t have to be. I just want to know what’s going on in your head.”

“I thought it was quite obvious how I’ve felt from the beginning.”

That was true. She didn’t really make it a secret how she felt. At least in her eyes...

“Maybe so, but then our signals got crossed for a few days there…I just want to be clear.”

“I like you. Like...a lot.” Carmilla admitted. “So much that it kinda scares me if I think about it too much.”

She could feel Laura frown against her shoulder. “Why does it scare you?”

Taking a deep breath, she continued. “I’ve never been this close to someone before, let alone felt this strongly about someone I’ve just met.”

“Well, it’s not like I’m an expert either. I’m just as surprised and clueless as to how to go about this. I just know that I’ve felt this...unexplainable connection ever since I met you. I don’t know you that well, but I feel like I do. I know you’re a good person, despite the circumstances as to how I’m here with you in the first place. You make me feel safe.”

She nodded. “I’ve felt it too. And I’m sorry that you’re in this position.”

After a few moments of silence, Laura sat up on her elbow and looked down at Carmilla as she played with the fabric of her shirt. “My mom used to say that everything happens for a reason. Even the shitty things in life. It all has a purpose that maybe we don’t understand right now, or ever will understand in our lifetimes. I believe everything that happened was supposed to. It brought me here to Austria, leading me to you, for some reason or another.”

Before Laura came into her life, Carmilla would have said that was bullshit. However, everything in her life, like the way she was raised (no matter how much she hated it), had brought her to Laura...so how could she argue now?

“Why do you think that is?” She asked, genuinely curious.

Laura thought for a moment. “Maybe we need each other. To help one another.”

Carmilla nodded in understanding. “You’ve helped me more than you know, Cupcake. You’ve managed to bring me out of a dark place, and I could never repay you enough for that. But I’m no good at helping other people. If anything, I’m ruining you.”

Laura frowned again. “You aren’t ruining me, Carm. You make me happy, and even though we spend all day, every day together, I always want to be close to you. You’re awkward at times, you’re funny, you’re smart. And you may fool others with your rough exterior, but you’re a big softie at heart. You've treated me right from the very start, when you don’t have any reason to, especially considering the way you grew up, risking getting reprimanded by your mother.” Laura hugged Carmilla’s waist tighter. “Everything is backwards, in the best way possible. When most owners are terrible and treat their slaves like animals...you always put me before everything else. Even yourself.”

She hadn't known that Laura noticed that. But what was she thinking? Of course she did. Everything she does is to make the girl happy.

Carmilla swallowed hard. “I want to be able to give you everything you need and deserve...but I don’t know if I can.” 

“All I need is you.” She replied quietly.

Carmilla knew that wasn’t the complete truth, even if Laura believed it in that moment. There were other things that she had wanted, and still probably wants more than she needs their relationship. But Carmilla would cherish those words that fell out of her mouth so easily. Words that made her heart skip a beat. There was no question in her mind anymore. She loved Laura Hollis.

“You have me.” She said, trying to keep her emotions in check. “You’ve had me since the moment I saw you.”

The blonde looked at her with an unreadable expression for a few seconds before leaning down and surprising her with a kiss. It had been five days since they last touched, but it had felt like an eternity. And since she didn’t know the next time this would happen, Carmilla wanted to make it last as long as possible. Reaching up, she placed her hand behind the girl’s neck, keeping her in place for a few more seconds before they parted. That was something no matter how many times they did, she would never get used to. And she didn't want to. She loved the way it made her feel, and she could only hope that Laura felt that way too. It left her dazed, which didn’t help when a quick peck was placed on her lips. Before she could even register it, Laura had laid back down in the position she’d been in just moments before. Carmilla slid her arms back around the girl and held her as close as she could, wondering if Laura could hear her thundering heartbeat.

Okay, maybe talking about feelings wasn’t the worst thing in the world...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be posting reference pictures of everywhere they go in Graz that's mentioned in the story. So, if you're interested in seeing those, follow my fanfiction Tumblr (ceceash.tumblr.com).


	16. Day 11

Carmilla’s phone vibrated next to her head on the bed, bringing her out of her hazy sleep, but thankfully it wasn’t enough to wake Laura up as well (who was basically laying on top of her). Rubbing her eyes with her free hand, she had to remind herself why she thought it was a good idea to be getting up before the ass-crack of dawn. It didn’t take much reminding, seeing as the reason was holding onto her like her life depended on it. Right, today she was going to do something different. She was going to try to be romantic. To be the girl that Laura deserves. Not that she didn’t want to be romantic before, she just hadn’t had a clue as to how. This kinda thing is definitely not her forte, but yesterday she had finally gotten an idea. Sure, it was probably too cliché, but she was hoping that the blonde would enjoy it nonetheless.

After a few minutes of carefully extracting herself out from under Laura, Carmilla grabbed some clean clothes and closed herself in the bathroom. She’d made sure to take a shower before they had gone to bed for this specific reason. Not wanting to get up any earlier than she absolutely had to, and making sure nothing would make them late. Once she was changed and her teeth were brushed. The girl was still sound asleep, and Carmilla hated that she had to wake her when she looked so peaceful, but she had a plan to carry out. However, a few more minutes wouldn’t hurt. So, she made her way out into the kitchen and started on the hot chocolate. While it was heating up, she crept back into the bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed, taking a few seconds to admire how beautiful the girl was before she placed her hand on the blonde’s shoulder and gently shook her.

“Hey, Cupcake.” She said in a quiet voice.

Laura shifted and took a deep breath before answering. “Mm?”

“Time to wake up.”

“No…”

Carmilla smiled. “Please?”

“Noooo.”

“But I have a surprise for you.”

“Can’t it wait until later?” Laura said, flipping on her back and covering her eyes with an arm.

“Sorry, Cutie. You have to get up now if you want it.”

Laura let out an exhausted sigh.

They had gone to two museums in the past two days, and both were tired from walking around so much since they got to Graz. But this was special. And it was the only thing Carmilla had planned for today. Well, technically that was a lie. When they got back to the apartment, she planned on collapsing back into bed, then waking up later and ordering takeout, and spending the rest of the day with Laura on the couch or in bed. Yes, that sounded like the perfect day. But for now, she had to get the blonde actually out of bed first.

“When we get back we can sleep however long you want.” She reminded the girl.

There was a few seconds of silence before Laura responded. “Promise?”

“Promise. Now, get dressed and be ready in five.”

The blonde groaned. “Fudge.”

Carmilla chuckled and bent over to kiss Laura’s cheek. “I’ll make it worth your while…” She said in a rather suggestive manner.

“Mm, I’m up.”

Laura removed her arm from her face and sat up in bed, her hair a mess, sticking every which way, and her eyes nearly sealed shut. She was sure a sight. An adorable sight. Carmilla stood up and took her small bag that once held her toiletries, and took it to the kitchen with her, closing the bedroom door behind her to give Laura some privacy. Sleepy Laura was too cute for words, and all she wanted to do was snuggle back into bed with the girl and leave kisses all over her face just to make her smile. But she pushed that very tempting thought out of her head for now (because that could totally be saved for another more convenient time). Grabbing the novelty thermos that she’d bought for Laura yesterday (yes, with this idea in mind), she poured the hot chocolate into it and sealed the lid, then slipped it into the bag.

Next, she stepped into the living room and snatched a throw blanket off the back of the sofa and folded it before putting it in the bag as well, just in case they needed it. Soon, there was a knock at the door, and while she was expecting it, the sudden noise in the very quiet apartment made her jump. Taking a breath to calm herself down, she answered the door with a smile. It was one of the apartment manager’s trusted employees (or so he said that’s who he would send when she had called him last night when Laura had showered). He smiled back, even though it was ungodly early for anyone to be up. He handed over a paper bag of fresh, still warm donuts, and Carmilla took it from him, replacing it with what she owed him for it, and a tip. He bid her a good morning and she wasted no time in putting those in the bag as well. She wanted everything to be a surprise.

As if on cue, the blonde came out from the hall, still trying to rub the sleep from her eyes.

“Ready, Cutie?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be at five in the morning.” She mumbled.

“It will be worth it.”

She hoped, at least.

“Now, we gotta go before it’s too late.” Carmilla said brightly, gently throwing the bag strap over her shoulder.

“Too late? How can anything be too late at this hour?”

Carmilla ignored Laura’s rhetorical question, and opened the door for her to step out. She did without another word. She had to take a hold of Laura’s hand and urge her to walk a little bit faster, to the girl’s dismay, but she was relieved when they made it outside and over to the car. Once in and buckled, Carmilla started the engine, then looked over to the blonde.

“Okay, now close your eyes.”

“Carm…”

“Nope! Close them.”

Laura bit her lip and finally closed her eyes, then leaned head on the seat head rest. “Fine, it’s your fault if I fall back asleep again, then.”

Carmilla doubted it. Their destination was mere minutes away,to which they could have walked, but she just wanted to get there as fast as possible. And so when they arrived, she asked Laura to keep her eyes shut until she told her otherwise. Though once they got to the first set of stairs, Carmilla was rethinking the whole thing, not wanting Laura to get hurt. But it was a challenge she was willing to take on.

“So, there’s a bunch of stairs we have to climb...but don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.”

“Oh my God…” Laura said desperately.

“You’ll be fine.” She attempted to reassure her. “Now, we better hurry.”

Laura playfully scoffed. “Yeah, because blindly walking up stairs wasn’t dangerous enough, I have to do it quickly.”

Carmilla tried to keep from smiling, even though Laura couldn’t even see her, before placing one of the girls’ hands on the railing to her right. The blonde let out a relieved breath and started up the stairs, and Carmilla helped guide her with a hand supporting her back. And with surprisingly minimal difficulty. Though as the sky got light and lighter as they made their way up, Carmilla felt a wave of slight panic. When they made it to the top, there was a man there, who nodded at her and unlocked the gate and swung the door open for them. Yeah, she hated being a Karnstein, but on days like this, it really does pay off when you want to do something that is normally not allowed. Entry to one of the top tourist locations in town, and donut delivery before sun-up were just a few perks that she allowed herself to enjoy, especially since she never would have done anything like this if it wasn’t for Laura.

“Where are we?” The girl chimed in as they walked along the flat surface path now.

“Schlossberg.”

“Um, in English, please?”

“Castle Hill.”

Carmilla lead Laura to the corner of the park and took the bag off her shoulder, setting it on the closest bench, then she turned her in the direction of the rising sun.

“Alright, you can open your eyes now.”

Laura did, and was greeted with a wonderful sight. This is it. The moment was perfect. The sun was just peeking over the surrounding mountains, lighting up the sky with pinks and oranges, basking Graz in an angelic light. This was better than she could have ever imagined it playing out in her head, and it seemed as though Laura appreciated it as well. Perhaps even more, since she wasn’t taking her eyes off of the scene in front of her. Carmilla, however, had seen so many sunrises in her time, she preferred watching the blonde instead. Her eyes wide and body moving closer to the edge where she steadied herself against the stone wall, gazing out over the city from the hill they were on.

“Carm...it’s beautiful.”

“Told you I’d make it worth your while.” She replied, stepping up behind Laura and wrapped her arms around her midsection and placing a quick kiss on her shoulder.

She felt Laura immediately lean back against her front, and placed hands over hers, making a wave of warmth spread through her body. She didn’t know how to describe it other than a pure happiness kind of warmth. Like nothing she’s ever felt before. Sure, holding hands and cuddling in bed, and even kissing was one thing, but somehow this felt more intimate than all of those. Maybe it was the trust that Laura had put in her to get her up here unscathed, even when she was tired and confused. Or maybe it was seeing the raw emotion on the girl’s face. Either way, she wanted this moment to last forever. She let her eyes close as she rested her chin on Laura’s shoulder, taking in a deep breath, inhaling her familiar scent. The coconut shampoo from her shower the previous night, a hint of flowery deodorant, and something that she couldn’t place. It was just...Laura.

The blonde smiled to herself when she realized that Carmilla was smelling her. She feels as though she should be weirded out, but that wouldn’t be fair, because she knows that she does it too. Usually when they’re in bed, cuddled up, with her head nestled in the crook of Carmilla’s neck (which had become her favorite place to be), she would enjoy the girl’s scent and revel in their closeness. From the outside, Carmilla looked like a rough and tumble girl who wore a lot of black, probably picked fights, and stunk like cigarettes. That’s probably how Laura would have judged her if they hadn’t met the way they had. Not even met. If she had just seen her across the street or something, that’s what her brain would automatically go to. But Carmilla was the opposite. She may be lazy and sarcastic at times, but she has a big heart. And she smells rather delightful. Like vanilla this time, rather than her usual coconut scent. She bit her lip as she smiled, because the girl had used her shampoo.

Watching the sunrise on top of a hill while encased in a warm, loving embrace wasn’t how she was expecting to be spending her morning, but she’s so glad that Carmilla made her get up before dawn and dragged her out here. It was a romantic gesture that she thought only existed in old movies, television shows or books. She never dreamed that she could actually have this and it not be just to get her into bed either, or so her Father warned her about. Of course he was talking about guys and had no idea that she was gay, but she didn’t doubt some women were also guilty of this. But she had absolutely no worries with Carmilla. Not once has she touched her in a way that made her uncomfortable. In fact, since their talk about feelings a few nights ago, she is the one who has wanted more, but held herself back. They had only known each other for eleven days, after all. But did that really matter? Some people say they fall in love at first sight. Now that was fast...

And no matter how much Laura’s mind kept reminding her of the situation and the limited amount of time they have truly spent together, she still wanted things to progress between them. Did that make her crazy? Crazy in love, maybe. Is that what this is? Love? Laura’s not quite sure, she’s never been in love before. But she was certainly falling. It was almost impossible not to, and she hoped that Carmilla was too. That seemed to be the case, but she didn’t want to assume. They both needed more time to figure things out. Again, eleven days was not a lot of time, even though it has felt a lot longer than that. It’s strange. And the fact that they were so different from each other made it curious as to how they clicked so quickly and easily. No, Laura didn’t want to question it anymore, she just wanted to enjoy it for as long as she could. Nothing good in this world seemed to last, so she was determined to hold onto that for as long as possible.

Shifting, she let her head rest against Carmilla’s. “Thank you for this, Carm.”

Carmilla was grateful that Laura couldn’t see her face, because she could feel her cheeks heating up. Instead, she moved and kissed Laura’s temple. “Well, it’s not over yet, Sweetheart.”

“What do you mean?” Laura asked as Carmilla pulled away from her.

“I mean…” She walked over to the bench and unzipped the bag, pulling out the donuts and thermos. “We haven’t had breakfast yet.”

Just when Laura thought Carmilla couldn’t get any cuter, she sees both items in her hands, and looks at her with a mix of uncertainty and embarrassment. She chose not to rag on her about it, and smiled, walking over to the bench and taking a seat. When Laura stuck in hand in the bag, she was greeted with warm, sugary goodness, and couldn’t help but leaned over and give Carmilla a kiss. She really liked that, and over the past couple says since they spilled their feelings, she was a lot less shy and self conscious. When she wanted to kiss her, she did, and without too much hesitation. Carmilla always looked like she wasn’t really used to it, which is why Laura tried not to do it too much. She didn’t want to overwhelm her. It was cute. Especially when Carmilla wasn’t expecting it, she blushed. And she’d try to hide it, but Laura always saw. It just reaffirmed that the girl liked her too.

“Tell me something about you.” Carmilla said later on, when the donuts had long been eaten, and the hot chocolate drank.

Carmilla remained sitting on the bench, while Laura had laid down, and her head was now in the girl’s lap, hair being played with. Laura bit her lip and thought. She felt as if there weren’t many things that she could tell, or if anything she could come up with would be considered interesting to Carmilla. Talking about herself growing up was still a bit hard to do, especially when Carmilla had grown up so different, she didn’t expect the struggles of a always-on-the-verge-of-being-dirt-poor family to be understood by someone who didn’t have to go through it. It had meant that she didn’t have funny stories to tell of shenanigans at teen parties, or anything like that. But still, everytime Carmilla asked this of her, that’s what she thought about, even though she knew that whatever she decided to share would be more than good enough. Carmilla appreciated everything that she was told, and Laura would always push past the embarrassment and relay a memory of something.

“Um…” She hummed, thinking about good times, and one particular one stood out. “My Mom taught me how to ride a bike.”

Carmilla smiled, picturing an even tinier Laura riding a bike down a sidewalk. What she would give to see some actual pictures of that.

“She built it, actually. The bike.” Laura continued. “For the longest time, my Dad searched high and low for one for me. On his way home from work on Fridays, he would stop by the junkyard to look for a discarded one, but had no such luck. Until one day he found a frame. It was something, at least. And every Friday he would go look for parts to add onto it. It took about two years, but finally, he acquired everything that was needed. But he worked long hours, so my Mom worked on putting it together, her own Dad having taught her how to be handy. I loved watching her when I came home from school. She made me do my homework so I wasn’t just sitting there doing nothing, but every once in a while she’d let me contribute. It was really nice.”

Laura’s heart ached when she talked about her Mom. She had such fond memories, but wished they had more years together. More memories to look back on. But like she’d told Carmilla, her Mom believed that everything happened for a reason, so she tried to come to terms with the fact that maybe her Mom died for a reason that she just didn’t, no...couldn’t, comprehend. Especially with all the bad people in the world today, it was hard to accept that they were still alive and well, and her Mom was dead and gone. She tried not to think about that too much...it only made her angry, and she didn’t want that to spoil hers and Carmilla’s moment. So, she focused on the good.

“I would have liked to have met your Mom, Cupcake.”

Laura let herself smile at the thought of taking Carmilla home to meet her Mom.

“She would have liked you, Carm. I know it.” She said before leaning up and capturing Carmilla’s lips in a short, sweet kiss.

Carmilla really hoped that was true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be posting reference pictures of Schlossberg and everywhere they go in Graz that's mentioned in the story. So, if you're interested in seeing those, follow my fanfiction Tumblr (ceceash.tumblr.com).


	17. Day 14, Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PSA: Just wanted to let you all know in case you don't follow me on Tumblr, I changed the rating of this fic. I hadn't had any Archive Warnings listed, but it was just brought to my attention that because of the slavery aspect, I should put the rating Rape/Non-con on it. But I want to be clear, THERE WILL BE NO RAPE IN THIS FIC. I changed it for the readers who may be triggered because slavery in itself is non-consensual.

Yeah, it may be considered creepy, but Laura liked watching Carmilla sleep. Not like in the weird-obsessed-Edward-from-Twilight way, but in the i-woke-up-before-you-and-am-taking-a-moment-to-relish-in-how-adorable-you-are kind of way. Mornings are when she gets to see Carmilla in her purest form, with a neutral expression on her face, no worry lines on her forehead, or tight lips. Right now, there was no barrier between them that was usually there. A barrier that Laura could see right through, but hadn't tried knocking down quite yet. That barrier, she suspected, has been up for some time, and it wasn’t like she could get rid of it with a snap of her fingers. She knew no matter how relaxed Carmilla may portray herself as, there was always something that she was holding back. Yes, they had talked about their feelings, and she suspected there was more to say, but she wasn’t going to push. A big step was made in even talking about it, and she knew that.

It made her really want to peel back the layers one at a time. In the past seven days that they had been in Graz, she slowly but steadily learned more things about the girl that she was falling in love with. She learned that Carmilla had a romantic side, and although that had involved getting up earlier than she ever had, it was perfect. She learned that Carmilla, though lazy most the time, loved museums once she got going, even if she denied it. They had gone to the famous armory museum just the other day and Carmilla had asked the tour guide a crap ton of questions. Needless to say, both of them knew a lot more about weaponry now than she ever thought possible. Romantic? Check. Intellectually curious and smart? Check. Creative? Check. However, she still had yet to see Carmilla draw or paint anything (not without lack of trying). But again, she didn’t want to push too hard. Going through her mental checklist, Carm seemed to have all she’d ever want.

Finally taking her eyes off the beautiful girl next to her, she rolled over and looked at the clock. It was nearly noon, so she decided to go ahead and get up, letting the other girl sleep a bit longer. After a quick shower, she found Carmilla still asleep in bed, clutching the pillow Laura had been using. Sitting down on the bed, she reached out and moved a lock of raven hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear before leaning over and pressing a kiss to her cheek. Carmilla stirred, taking in a deep breath before stretching out her legs, making her feet poking out from the sheet. She blinked a few times, looking confused for a few moments before noticing Laura, to which then, she gave a warm smile.

“Mm, morning.” She mumbled.

“More like afternoon.”

“Even better.”

“Remember what we were going to do today?”

Trying to wipe the tiredness from her eyes, Carmilla thought to herself for a moment before she gave up. “No, but apparently you do.”

“Picnic in the park.” She prompted.

“Oh, right.”

“I’m going to go make lunch. You get your cute self ready.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The girl replied, even though she made no move to actually do so.

Laura rolled her eyes playfully and left Carmilla to (hopefully) get out of bed and into the shower. She couldn’t really blame the girl for forgetting. It was an idea that Laura had come up with late the previous night, and well, when she had suggested it, Carm was a tad busy kissing a path down her neck. So that was a thing. Over the past few days, things between them have gotten slightly more intimate. Their kisses lasted longer, and sometimes lips would venture to the neck or clavicle. Well, Carmilla’s lips would anyway, Laura hadn’t gotten the chance to explore in such a way yet, but God she really wanted to. And the closer they became emotionally, the more lust she had building up inside of her when they would kiss. It was strange. Experiencing sexual attraction to another person was something new for her, and she wasn’t used to it just yet. On top of that, since she had no practice in this particular area (except for on herself), and she had no idea when it was appropriate to want to take things to the next level.

The next level, to her anyway, was actually getting to touch each other. _Really_ touch each other. She craved the feeling of Carmilla’s warm, soft skin under her fingertips. So far, their hands had not ventured anywhere but the hips and back. Laura had been tempted more than once to just go for it and let her hand slip under the girl's shirt, but what if that’s not what Carmilla wanted? Ugh. Why did everything have to be so difficult? She cut the sandwich that she completely forgot that she was even making and tried to think about something else. Thoughts of touching Carmilla had started to turn her on, and this really wasn’t the time. She filled her mind with thoughts of more innocent things, like walking to the park hand in hand, and finding a nice patch of grass to lay their blanket down. That made her smile as she packed the sandwiches in a container before sliding it into the bag, just in time for Carmilla to come out of the bedroom. Fully dressed, but still drying her hair with a towel.

“You look like a cat that got caught out in the rain.” Laura stated, moving strands of hair out of her eyes.

“Gee thanks.”

Laura hadn't meant for that to come off as a jab, so she smiled and clarified. “I meant in the most adorable way possible.”

Carmilla grinned back. “Uh huh." 

Flipping the towel over her shoulder, she slipped her arms around Laura’s waist, ducking her head into the crook of her neck to lightly kiss the ticklish spot she'd found the other night. The girl let out a giggle and gently pushed her away, but not before Carmilla got a few more kisses in.

“Okay, Lady Killer, it’s not the time to get distracted.”

Carmilla thought any time was a good time to get distracted with Laura, but she sighed and raised both of her hands in surrender before turning around, making her way back into the bathroom to finish drying her hair properly. It only took a few minutes, and after Laura took the container of grapes out of the fridge and put them in the bag as well, they were on their way to a nearby park they had yet to visit. It was a fairly nice day, however overcast because some rain was heading their way, but that wasn’t going to stop them from enjoying their time outdoors while they could. Laura had made turkey sandwiches, and the grapes accompanied it nicely. Carmilla just wished the sun was out so it would actually feel like a proper picnic, but soon enough thoughts of the weather faded when she saw a cloud pass overhead that resembled a dog, and pointed it out to Laura.

“Oh, that’s cute!” She blonde exclaimed.

After finishing their sandwiches, they ended up sitting back on their hands, eyes to the sky, watching the lower clouds pass by, trying to find familiar shapes in them. Laura instantly turned it into a competition to see who could spot the most animal-like clouds. Carmilla didn’t care about winning or losing, but it was funny watching the blonde get into it, pointing out a bear, elephant, and a baby (because “humans are animals, Carmilla”). Her brain worked a bit differently, seeing more...inappropriate things.

“That one kind of looks like a dick growing out of a boot.”

“Ew, _Carmilla_!”

“What? It does.”

Laura tilted her head sideways, narrowing her eyes. “Maybe a little bit…” She admitted.

They both giggled to themselves as they watched the suggestive cloud above them disperse in the wind.

“Okay, that one kind of looks like a turtle with a Christmas present on it’s back.”

“Why would a turtle have a present on it’s back?” Carmilla asked.

Laura rolled her eyes and fired back. “Why would a penis be growing out of a shoe?”

“...Touche.”

A few minutes of silence passed as they watched the sky before Laura shifted and placed a kiss on Carmilla’s cheek, much like she had this morning. “Thank you for this picnic.”

Carmilla smiled and kissed Laura’s nose. “I just wish it was a sunny day.”

“It’s perfect.” The girl replied quietly, letting her head rest on Carmilla’s shoulder.

They stayed like that for a few moments before Laura sat up again, with purpose. “Can I see your phone?” She asked.

Without asking why, Carmilla took her phone out of her back pocket and handed it over. She watched as Laura lit up the screen, then clicked the camera icon. Okay, now she was curious.

“What are you up to?”

“I’m going to take a picture of us.” She stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

“Oh, are you now?”

“Yes. Now, say cheese!”

“Never in my life have I ever said ‘cheese’ for a photo.”

“Well, today is a great day to start, then!”

“Laur. I don’t like having my picture taken.”

“And who is going to see it? It’s on your phone.” Laura pointed out before sticking out her bottom lip and giving her best puppy eyes.

“God, you’re insufferable.” Carmilla whined.

“And you’re melodramatic.”

She had another comeback on her tongue, but decided to just let the girl have her way. Like usual. It wasn’t going to kill her, but she didn’t see the point of pictures. Maybe it’s because she didn’t grow up with any of her being taken unless it was at an event to make her Mother look good. She never had the urge to take pictures either, not needing any more reminders of her childhood. Come to think of it, she didn't think she even owned a proper camera. But Laura’s intent was pure, so she could only smile when the blonde scooted closer and stuck out her arm, bringing them both into the frame. The girl counted down from three, and when she got done, Carmilla turned her head and kissed Laura in the cheek and heard the click right after.

“While I should be irritated at you for not giving a simple smile for the camera...this picture is really cute.”

“Well, I’m in it, so of course it is.”

Laura rolled her eyes and gave the phone back to Carmilla before settling back into her place, looking at the pond in front of them. Raising the phone, the raven-haired girl swiftly took a picture. She couldn’t help herself, the girl was just too beautiful not to. When Laura noticed, she stuck her tongue out. She kind of wanted the girl to get a taste of her own medicine, but she didn’t seem to really mind, going about her business picking up a grape and tossing it into the air before expertly catch it in her mouth. Ugh, could she be more adorable? Laura looked down, embarrassed when she realized what she just did, and swallowed the grape before speaking.

“My Dad and used to have contests to see who would be able to catch the most consecutive grapes in their mouth.”

Okay, she’d bite. “And what did the winner get?”

The girl shrugged. “Bragging rights.”

“And the loser?”

“Had to deal with the shame of losing. Until the next contest where they could have the chance to redeem themselves.”

Carmilla shook her head. Yes, she could in fact get more adorable.

“When I got older, most the time we tied because we’d run out of grapes before one of us lost.”

Picking up another grape, Laura looked at it for a moment before tossing it up in the air higher than the first one, and caught it in her mouth with ease.

She smiled triumphantly. “Still got it.”

“Still a dork.”

“Whatever. Let’s see you try it.”

“What?” Carmilla scoffed. “No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Fine. Fun-killer.” Laura said before tossing a grape at Carmilla.

It bounced off of her chest and onto the ground, rolling off the blanket and into the grass.

Carmilla looked at Laura with her jaw dropped dramatically. “Did you just assault me with a grape?”

“That’s a bit of an overreaction-”

Before she could even finish her sentence, Carmilla lunged forward, playfully knocking Laura onto her back as she climbed on top of her. She proceeded to tickle her sides for a few moments before letting up and placing her hands on either side of Laura’s head. She half expected Laura to get revenge, being in the perfect position to be tickled back, but only let her giggles fade as they gazed into each other’s eyes. Lowering herself, Carmilla’s lips found Laura’s in a soft kiss. Settling in between the girl’s legs for the first time, she placed more weight on her, and deepened the kiss, sucking on Laura's bottom lip. Kissing had never been something that Carmilla would imagined she would enjoy so damn much. But it had become one of her favorite things. And feeling the blonde’s hand come up and thread her fingers through her hair only spurred her on, her own hand caressing Laura’s thigh, dragging her hand up slowly. They kissed for a few more moments before a low rumble echoed around them.

“Mm. Carm. We’re in public.” Laura pulled away, a bit embarrassed that they had gotten impassioned so quickly where anyone could see them.

Sitting back on her heels, Carmilla glanced around the park. “I don’t see anyone around.”

Laura lifted herself onto her elbows then pointed up at the sky behind Carmilla. “It’s probably because of that huge, angry-looking cloud heading our way.”

She looked over her shoulder to see for herself. “Damn.”

It looked like a serious storm was heading their way. Great.

“We should probably start heading back.”

This time, Carmilla couldn’t agree more. So they packed up what was left of their picnic and walked quickly back to the apartment, just missing the rain that started to come down, splattering on the pavement. Her heart started to pound in her chest to the rhythm of the rainfall pattering on any and every surface. Though even once they were inside the building and got in the elevator, Carmilla’s anxiety was only growing. She hates storms with a passion, and she wishes that she wasn’t so affected by something so natural and for the most part, benign. But she couldn’t help it. Those anxious feelings caused unwanted memories to come back to her, reminding her exactly why she hated them in the first place. It sucked, but was unavoidable. Each time this happened, she felt like the little child she once was, and wondered if these feelings would ever go away and leave her be. It was so tiring feeling small and helpless.

Taking Laura’s hand in hers, she needed grounding. Something to comfort and distract her. And thankfully, the blonde laced their fingers together, and she held on tight.

“You okay, Carm?” Laura asked, gently rubbing her thumb across her skin.

“I don’t like storms.” She replied quietly, tight-lipped.

That seemed to be a good enough answer for Laura, and Carmilla was somewhat relieved. She really didn’t need to be getting the third-degree when she was on the verge of a panic attack. Thankfully, Laura always seemed to know when to push and when to let her be. Once they entered the apartment, she felt a meager amount of her stress fall, because she was back in a place that she deemed relatively safe. She let go of Laura’s hand and swallowed hard as she made her way into the bathroom, grabbing her toiletry bag and fishing out her anxiety meds. They rarely actually worked, but she could at least say that she tried. A loud boom of thunder made her jump and she instantly shut her eyes tightly and grabbed the edge of the counter in front of her so hard that her knuckles turned white. She was in the middle of taking deep breaths when a pair of arms slipped around her waist and held her securely. After a few minutes she calmed down enough to open her eyes and turn around, kissing Laura on her forehead.

“Okay?” The girl whispered.

Carmilla took a breath and replied truthfully, no point in lying now. “Not really.”

“What can I do?”

There really was nothing that Laura could do that would make the heavy feeling in her chest go away. Not while there was a storm only getting worse outside. But she also didn’t want to keep standing in the bathroom, so she did the only thing she learned over the years that helped her the most. Though rather than cocooning herself in the blankets of her bed, she would take comfort in the fact that Laura was there with her.

“Lay down with me?”

Laura nodded and lead them into the bedroom and onto the bed. Carmilla nearly jumped in it, like a child afraid some monster would grab her feet if she came too close. Yeah, it was embarrassing, but as another loud crash thundered through the sky, light flashing in through the curtains, she didn’t have the energy or the brain space at the moment to care. She buried her face into Laura’s neck and inhaled her scent, trying to focus on that.

“You’re alright.” Laura said softly as she held Carmilla with one arm and stroked her hair with the other.

Laura had never dealt with something like this before, and not knowing what was fully going on in Carmilla’s head wasn’t helping. But from what she’s learned growing up, whenever she was scared of something, her Mom would always keep her talking about anything else until she calmed down. That plan was better than nothing, so she decided to try it.

“What’s your favorite breed of dog?”

She felt Carmilla frown against her skin, but a few seconds later, she answered in a faint voice.

“Pitbull.”

“Why’s that?”

Carmilla shivered, trying to ignore the intense rumble as it made the building vibrate. “They’re misunderstood. Like me.”

While Laura continued asking any question she could think of, Carmilla wasn’t obtuse enough to not know what the blonde was doing...but it actually was helping a little bit, so she played along. 

“If you could be a superhero, who would you be?”

There were so many to choose from, but after a minute, Carmilla simply answered. “Batgirl.”

They continued like that for a good twenty minutes, and by the time Carmilla had explained why the Hippogriff was her favorite mythological creature, she was tired. At no fault of Laura’s, but her own. She'd gotten herself so worked up earlier, now was the point where her body was ready to crash. Usually, she'd let herself drift off. Anything to get away from what had bothered her in the first place. But from the time she was a kid until the present, that's all she’d been doing get through it. Cower and escape. Until the next time where she’d have to deal with it again. It wasn't something that she'd even spoken to Perry about. The redhead knew she didn't like storms, but she knew the woman had no idea why. Carmilla had never opened up to anyone about what she went through as a child. Maybe it was finally time to talk about it. And who better than Laura, who is the most compassionate person she’s ever met?

“Carm?” Laura asked after a few minutes of not getting an answer to her last question.

“You want to know why I’m afraid of storms? Of the dark?”

Oh. She hadn’t expected for the girl to want to open up. But Carmilla always seems to surprise her.

“Hm?”

Fisting Laura’s shirt in her hand, she could feel her heart start to pound again. “When I misbehaved...she locked me in there…”

Laura was afraid of the answer, but asked anyway. “In where?”

Carmilla sniffled, holding back tears. “The closet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I once saw a cloud that looked like a dick growing out of a boot. It scarred me for life. So of course I had to incorporate it in my fanfic somehow! I'm sorry I put that visual in your heads ;p
> 
> If you aren't following my fanfic Tumblr (ceceash.tumblr.com), you should be! I keep my followers up to date on when I am posting...or not posting. Sorry I was gone for like, 3 weeks! This chapter is a little longer than usual, so I hope that makes up for it. At least a little bit.


	18. Day 14, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Mentions of past abuse.

It wasn’t often that Carmilla thought about her childhood. There was just so much that she wanted to forget ever happened, because most of it was very unpleasant. Whether it be because all she wanted was to make her Mother proud, and her getting little to no support and affection in return, or because of the horrible things that were done to her when she screwed up. Even the tiniest mistake was met with a wave of rejection and pain, both physically and mentally. The closet, was the harshest emotional pain. It hadn’t been introduced until she was nine or ten years old. Before then, the physical abuse hadn’t gotten as bad as what she’s used to now. Back then, a good hard whipping on the butt and a couple slaps to the face would be it. Until one day when Carmilla had embarrassed her Mother in front of some of her clients. Truth be told, she couldn’t remember what she had done that day to deserve what she got when they arrived home, because what had immediately followed, overshadowed it completely.

She received the most violent walloping up to that point. It had just seemed to go on and on, all the while her Mother throwing cruel words at her as well as kicks and punches. Carmilla wasn’t sure if she had passed out from the pain, or if she was finally just knocked out, but when she had woken up later on, darkness encased her completely. Hell, the thought that she may be dead had crossed her mind, but the pain kept her grounded. So much so, that she could barely move, stuck laying on the hardwood floor. She was scared, not only because she had no idea where she was, but add the fact that she never really liked the dark in the first place. If that wasn’t bad enough, there was a storm that night. The worst one Austria had seen in decades. The thunder was deafening, and it made the entire mansion shake. Those two things coupled together was a recipe for scarring a little Carmilla for life. It wasn’t until the next day when her Mother finally let her out that she even knew it was a closet that she’d been in that entire time.

Ever since, both darkness and thunder reminded her of the worst night of her life. And for the next four years, if she was punished for something that got particularly under her Mother’s skin, she would be dragged kicking and screaming to the closet and locked in. It got to the point where she would have a panic attack just thinking about it, and did her best to avoid it at all costs. But no matter how hard she tried to stay on her Mother’s good side, there was always something that pissed her off enough to send her right back to the place that became the bane of her existence. Thankfully, at some point, her Mother deemed her too old to be serving out her punishments in a closet, and resorted to staying with the beatings, only making them harsher as time went on. However, as time went on, her only saving grace came when her Mother started traveling more and leaving her behind. For whatever reason (and frankly Carmilla didn’t care why), just that she would get a few days, or even weeks, without a slap in the face.

As Carmilla relayed her story to Laura, she hadn’t even realized the tears streaming down her face, wetting the front of the blonde’s shirt. It wasn’t until Laura reached up and wiped at her tear-stained cheek that she was brought back to the present, letting the painful memories slip from her mind and curl further into the blonde’s embrace. She was afraid to look at the girl, now that she was done with her sob story, and didn’t want to see the pity in her eyes. But she felt as though a little bit of weight had been lifted from off of her chest. Laura now knew why she was so adamant about keeping a light on at night, and why storms practically debilitated her. She’d always felt like a freak, and was embarrassed that anyone might find out. But who was she kidding? This was Laura. She may feel bad that this happened to her, but she wouldn’t pity her. Unclenching her hand from the fabric of Laura’s shirt, she let her hand travel up the girl’s arm, past her neck and into her hair. The familiar softness bringing her comfort as crack of thunder roared through the sky.

Laura had listened to Carmilla’s story with bated breath, and by the end (if it was even possible), her hatred for Ms. Karnstein had grown ten-fold. She was still absolutely shocked that the girl wasn’t more damaged because of this horrific upbringing. Sure, Carmilla had her problems, but they were nothing like she would have guessed. If anything, she could very well have have ended up being a very angry, abusive person, much like her Mother. But she is the complete opposite. Each day Laura catches herself in awe of the sweet girl that loves to hold hands and cuddle with her. She’s never seen Carmilla get mad, unless it was in relation to her Mother, and had never done anything remotely threatening towards her in any way. Even when she was mad at her Mother, it didn’t last long, gone in a few heavy breaths and a clench of her fists. The girl was in control of her actions, but her emotions were something else entirely. It hadn’t taken more than a sentence into her story for the tears to start coming, and Laura didn’t know what to do.

It wasn’t the first time that she thought Carmilla may need some professional help to deal with everything that she’s been through, but she hadn’t brought it up. She had no idea what her reaction to that suggestion would be, and she didn’t even know if it was her place to put it out there. But she hated seeing the girl she loved so sad and burdened by everything that was stuck in her head. She hoped that maybe listening and just being there for Carmilla would make it better, if only a little bit. Closing her eyes as she felt a hand entangle in her hair, she barely had time to enjoy it before more thunder made itself known. Carmilla shivered in her embrace, and she hugged her tighter and kissed her on the forehead in hopes of calming her down again. Sure, it was still pretty loud, but the thunder seemed to be moving away from them, thankfully, though the rain only came down harder, turning into a static background noise. Laura didn’t really know what came over her, but she started humming the lullaby “Rain, Rain, Go Away”.

It must have been appreciated though, because she soon felt a warm kiss on her neck. And over the course of the next hour, the loud thunder turned into a low grumble. By mid-afternoon, the rain was letting up, and finally Carmilla passed out from emotional exhaustion. Laura laid there for a little bit longer with her before carefully getting out from under the girl, replacing her space with a pillow. Closing the bedroom door behind her, she rubbed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Crying always gave her a headache. Letting out a sigh, she took the bag that Carmilla had discarded haphazardly on the counter, and pulled out the remnants of their lunch. She rinsed out the containers out and put them on the drying rack. But before she was going to put the bag away, she remembered Carmilla’s phone and dug it out of the pocket. Hitting the home button, the screen lit up, and a list of texts from Perry were there waiting to be replied to.

_Perry (1:34pm): I saw there was a storm headed your way. Just thought I’d give you a heads up._

_Perry (1:52pm): The storm is supposed to be fairly intense by the sound of it. Call me if you need me._

_Perry (2:47pm): I’m getting worried about you. Haven’t heard anything since yesterday. Please be safe._

_Perry (3:48pm): Respond when you get these, please._

Unlocking the screen, she opened the conversation window and tapped on the text bar, typing back, hoping the redhead wasn’t in too much of a tizzie.

_Carmilla (4:22pm): This is Laura. Sorry Carm didn’t answer back. We had a picnic and the phone was in the bag the entire time, and I didn’t think about taking it out when we got back._

_Perry (4:23pm): Is everything okay? The news said the storm was bad. How is she?_

_Carmilla (4:24pm): It was rough there for a while, but she got through it. She’s sleeping now, and the worst of the storm has passed._

_Perry (4:25pm): Good. That’s a relief to hear._

_Perry (4:26pm): Also, Ms. Karnstein knows that you two are gone now._

_Carmilla (4:27pm): It took her an entire week to notice that?_

_Perry (4:27pm): Yes, well, she’s a busy woman. But she asked about it, which leads me to assume that she wants something. And she’s been on the phone more than usual, and it sounds like she’s making plans. I thought I would warn Carmilla so she isn’t caught off guard if her Mother contacts her._

Just then, a pair of arms wrapped around her, making her jolt.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Carmilla said, her voice low and saturated with exhaustion.

Laura sat the phone down on the counter and leaned back into the girl, putting her hands over the ones on her stomach. “I just wasn’t expecting you to be up so soon.”

“Me either. How long was I out?”

“Maybe thirty minutes.”

“Ugh.” Carmilla groaned, letting her forehead rest against Laura’s shoulder. “What’re you up to?”

“Perry texted, so I was talking to her.”

“Oh, what’d she want?”

“Just wanted to make sure that you are okay. And tell you that your Mother finally knows we’re gone.”

“Joy.” She replied in a monotone voice.

“And that she might be contacting you soon.” Laura finished hesitantly.

After letting out a deep sigh, Carmilla released her hold on Laura with one arm and took her phone off the counter, reading through the messages exchanged between Perry and Laura. God, she really hoped that her Mother wasn’t planning something. It’s bad enough that she is now aware where they are, but if she tries to interfere, that will be too much. They’ve only been gone a week for Christ sake. But she knew something was coming. There was _always_ something. Her Mother loved to derail her plans and butt in when she could. It was really just a matter of time now, waiting for the call or text, telling her to come home for whatever reason. She was thankful that Perry gave her the heads up though. She hated being blind-sided. But for now, all she could do was wait and enjoy the time they had left together. Turning off the cell phone screen, Carmilla set it back onto the counter and tightened her embrace around Laura, kissing her neck.

“Sorry I ruined our day.” Carmilla said so softly it could have been easily missed if she wasn’t so close to Laura’s ear.

The blonde frowned, turning her head towards the girl. “You didn’t ruin anything.”

“You sure? All you wanted was a nice picnic today, and what you got was panic attack on the side.”

“We had a lovely picnic. And it’s not your fault that bad weather had to come in and put a wrench in things.”

“Still.”

“Anything is salvageable. Especially today, since it’s not even five o’clock yet.” She finally turned around in Carmilla arms and kissed her lightly on the lips. “I know something that will cheer you up.”

Carmilla smirked and leaned in. “More kissing?” She asked before capturing Laura’s lips in a more firm kiss than the one before.

Letting the girl have her way for a few seconds, Laura kissed back eagerly. Once they parted, the blonde shook her head and placed her hands on Carmilla’s shoulders.

“Kissing is nice, but what I was going to suggest was that we watch some movies and make our own homemade pizza.”

“Why can’t we just order pizza?”

Laura rolled her eyes. “Do you really think any place will want to delivery while a storm is still going on outside?”

“It’s just a little rain.” Carmilla argued.

Pulling her best kicked puppy look, the blonde stuck out her bottom lip in a pout, and looked up at Carmilla with sad eyes and a frown. It didn’t take long for the girl to cave.

“Fine. We can make the damn thing ourselves.”

Laura squealed and jumped up and down.

“It’s just pizza. Calm your tits, Little One.”

“I…” She started, confused as she looked down at her chest, then back at the taller girl. “What?”

Carmilla let out a breathy laugh. “It just means calm down.”

“I will not stay calm when pizza is involved.”

And so their salvaging of the rest of the day began. They ended up settling on the sofa for a while, watching FRIENDS reruns instead of choosing movies, but that was fine with Laura. She really just wanted Carmilla to be alright and not feel guilty about “ruining their day”, which she totally didn’t. If anything, she considered what had transpired earlier just another step in their relationship. The girl opened up to her about her past more than she ever had before. While saddening and infuriating, she couldn’t help but feel a tinge of happiness because Carmilla had felt comfortable enough to share it with her on her own, without any prompting whatsoever. She had been fully prepared to keep the girl distracted and just get through it. But the next thing she knew, Carmilla was pouring her heart out. There was a certain amount of closeness that had yet to reach until today, and she felt as if just a bit of that invisible wall between them was slowly coming down, naturally. Laura wouldn’t have to break through it.

When yet another episode ended, Laura glanced at the clock and decided they should probably get to making the pizza before it got too late. Carmilla was already tired, and probably would go to bed without eating if she wasn’t there. She was glad that Carmilla had basically stocked the fridge with anything and everything they might need (pizza ingredients being Laura’s suggestion). Already made dough was flattened and put on a metal sheet, and sauce was spread around evenly. Then came the most fun part, beside eating...putting on the toppings. There were a million combinations at their fingers, and they decided to split it down the middle, so each could have exactly what they wanted. Carmilla went for the classic, cheese and pepperoni. Laura, however, pretty much added everything...possibly going overboard just a tatch. She had cheese, pepperonis, diced onions, peppers, little pieces of chicken, and some strategically placed sausages. Followed by another thin layer of cheese.

Carmilla looked at Laura’s side of the pizza with a grimace on her face. She was sure that all mixed together was not going to taste good, but hey, at least her side was perfect. Laura could always use a lesson in going with what was common sense rather than following what her heart wanted. And her heart wanted clogged arteries, apparently. But when she really thought about it, she understood. From what she’s learned about Laura over the past two weeks, is that she didn’t have the best choice of food growing up. Something like pizza was a special treat that she never really got. So why not try everything that she was unfortunately denied as a kid, to no fault of her own or her parents. Carmilla wanted Laura to enjoy life, and if this was a way that she was doing it, then yeah, she would support her. Silently, because really, that combination of everything truly made her stomach flip. However, when everything was all cooked and ready, it smelled great.

Laura nearly burned herself taking it out of the oven and when she tried to prematurely bite into it before it was cooled enough. She couldn’t help it, it was exciting. They’d made something together, and it was beautiful. Okay, fine, she may be overreacting, but pizza was amazing. She could kiss the person who thought of the idea. Though, after burning her lips, tongue, and the roof of her mouth, she may not even be able to kiss Carmilla properly for a few days, because hot damn. Ouch. Laura should have listened to her about waiting a few more minutes before digging in, but she needed to taste her masterpiece. And it was worth it. So many flavors in her mouth, creating possibly the best things she’s ever tasted. While Carmilla looked at her like she was crazy. It was kinda funny actually. And bonus, she wouldn’t have to worry about the other girl trying to steal any of her slices. Things were back to sarcastic remarks and giggles in no time, the stress of the day’s prior events forgotten, if only for a little while.

Then suddenly Carmilla’s phone started vibrating while playing the Wicked Witch’s theme from The Wizard of Oz. It wouldn’t have taken a genius to guess who it was...

_-Mother calling-_

Welp, so much for ending the night on a happy note.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No idea what this chapter even is. It started out angsty and somehow devolved into an ad for pizza. I also wrote this on very little sleep, so that may be why...
> 
> My fanfic Tumblr is ceceash.tumblr.com if you you have any questions, I'll answer them over there.


	19. Day 15, Part 1

Carmilla groaned when she woke up the next day, not even able to stretch because they had fallen asleep on the sofa in a rather uncomfortable position. Rubbing her neck, she mentally chastised herself. There was probably going to be a crick in her neck for the rest of the day. Lovely. Carefully moving Laura’s legs off of her, she stood with a whimper. Yeah, note to self: never fall asleep on the sofa again. Hoping that a nice warm shower would soothe her body, she leaned down and kissed the blonde’s forehead before hobbling into the bedroom. On the nightstand, her cell phone screen lit up with another message. No...it was too early to be dealing with anything, Of course, her excuse last night had been that it was too late to be dealing with anything. Carmilla knew that she would have to face whatever her Mother wanted her for this time, but just a few more hours of peace. That’s all she wanted. Okay, that was a lie. A lifetime of peace was more like it. Grabbing some clean clothes, she shut the bathroom door behind her, trying to forget about her Mother for just a little while longer.

Back in the living room, Laura woke up with cold feet, missing the warmth they had been encased in between Carmilla’s legs. Perking her ears, she heard the shower running in the bathroom and decided to get up as well and make some coffee for the both of them. Rubbing her eyes, she stretched her stiff body. She was certain that she had gotten the better deal with falling asleep on the sofa. She’s small, and fit easily, so she felt sorry for Carmilla who had been scrunched up, probably very uncomfortably. Laura decided that she would make it up to her. Who could turn down a nice back rub? Once she got the coffee brewing, she dragged herself into the bedroom and went through her suitcase. Yeah, there were dressers to put both of their things in, but it was just easier this way. And Carmilla was lazy, so when the clothes had been washed, she had hastily folded them and tossed them in the open bag. It did make Laura wonder about what it would be like living like this...just the two of them. In their own apartment. She felt like they were only playing house right now...and she wanted the actual thing.

Though as soon as that thought came into her head, she frowned. They had only known each other two weeks, and here she was craving domesticality with Carmilla. She couldn’t help it though. In these past two weeks, they have gotten to know each other on a deep level that a lot of people don’t get to until months down the line. They knew the sad and ugly memories about each other, and they only had gotten closer. When they are intimate in any way, cuddles or kisses, tingles start in the pit of her stomach and her heart jumps into overdrive. The sudden realization only just now hit Laura, and she had to sit down on the edge of the bed. Holy crapsticks, she wasn’t just falling for Carmilla anymore...she was actually _in love_ with her. The happiness that she felt when they were just being themselves together was something she never had expected that she would feel. Laura always thought that she’d graduate high school, go to college, then get a job, but never really find someone that she wanted to spend her life with. Now her situation was the opposite.

Carmilla came out of the bathroom with only her bottom undies on and a towel wrapped around her top half. Laura was sitting on her side of the bed with clothes in her hand and a far away look on her face, but snapped out of it when she noticed that she wasn’t alone anymore. Not wasting any time, and forgetting her state of undress, Carmilla made her way around the bed and sat down next to Laura.

“Hey, you alright?” Carmilla said softly, reaching out to rub the girl’s back.

Laura nodded and looked at Carmilla with an expression that she couldn’t read. “Yeah. Just...got lost in thought.”

Carmilla wanted to ask what she was thinking about, but didn’t want to pry. Laura would tell her if she wanted to. But she hoped it wasn’t anything bad. Frankly, she kind of wanted to keep things a bit more lighthearted today, after such a trying and emotional evening yesterday, she was mentally exhausted. And now with her Mother breathing down her back, even from an entirely different city, that was enough stress for her to handle, she really didn’t need more.

“Well, the shower is all yours if you want it.”

Laura made a pitiful face and let her head fall onto Carmilla’s bare shoulder. “Ugh. Too lazy.”

Carmilla smiled and held the girl against her. “I think I’m having a bad influence on you.”

The girl scoffed. “Yeah, skipping a shower for one day. I’m _such_ a rebel.”

“Everyone starts somewhere.”

Before Laura could reply, behind them, Carmilla’s phone buzzed against the nightstand. She sighed. They couldn’t even have a nice moment without it being ruined. She really just wanted to chuck the phone out the window.

“You can’t avoid her forever.”

Carmilla unfortunately knew how true that is. “No, but I can try.”

“Carm.” Laura’s voice got low and serious. “I just don’t want her to hurt you again.”

Leaning down, she kissed Laura’s nose. “Don’t worry about me, Cutie.”

Getting hurt was inevitable. That’s just the way her life is and has always been. But in any case, she guessed she should at least see what she was wanted for. Standing up, she released her hold on Laura and went over to her side of the room, dropping her towel on the floor, and pulling on a tank top before picking up her phone.

**-4 Missed Calls-**

One was definitely from her Mother. The rest were most likely Perry, so she didn’t bother checking. Instead, she opened up the conversation window with the redhead and scrolled through her missed messages.

_Perry (8:57pm): As I’m sure you know by now, your Mother has tried to get in touch with you. It would be wise to take her call, Carmilla._

_Perry (9:04pm): I’m going to assume that you two have already gone to bed, and that’s why you aren’t answering your Mother’s calls or my messages. Please respond accordingly when you get them._

_Perry (10:18am): Carmilla Karnstein, answer your phone!_

_Perry (11:24am): For God’s sakes, please just text her at the very least before she gets impatient!_

She’s always impatient, Carmilla thought, rolling her eyes she turned her phone off and placed it back on the nightstand. Pulling back the covers on the bed, she slid into the nice, cool sheets, wanting to sleep some more (this time in a more comfortable piece of furniture) and forget about her Mother.

“You’re not going to text or call back?” Laura said a few moments later.

Carmilla opened her eyes and started to reply before seeing the blonde starting to shed her clothes to change. She swears her heart almost stopped when Laura was just standing there in her underwear, illuminated by the light coming in through the window. She hadn’t seen that much skin thus far in their relationship, but fuck, Laura is insanely beautiful. After a couple seconds she regained control of her mind and shut her eyes out of respect. Not yet had they gotten to the level of shedding clothes in front of one another...well, in the sexy way that is, and Carmilla didn’t want to feel like she was spying on her. She didn’t open her eyes again until she bed shifted and she felt the girl cuddle up to her under the sheets.

“If it was actually something of life and death importance, then Perry would have told me exactly what Mother wanted. But she didn’t.” She finally answered.

And with that, the conversation seemed to be settled. At least on Carmilla’s part. Laura was still iffy about the whole Mother situation, but still half preoccupied with her realization from just a few minutes ago. I had so many questions swirling around in her head. What did Carmilla consider them to be? Were they girlfriends? Nothing more than slave and owner, but with a little friendship mixed in? Did she feel the same way? There was only one way to find out...to ask. What if she received an answer that she didn’t want? Her whole idea of what they had would crumble and what would she be left with? A girl that cared about her, but not like that. It would break her heart, and that’s not something she wants to subject it too, especially when she just figured out what she was feeling to begin with. However, Laura’s need for answers was what gave her the courage to speak up. She had to know before she got in too deep in...whatever this is.

“Can I ask you something?” She started, nervously.

“Mmhm.”

Laura took a deep breath and prepared herself for the worst. “Are we...together? Like, _together_ together?”

Carmilla frowned, confused. She already thought that it was pretty clear that they were. What with all the cuddling, hand-holding, and kissing that’s been going on. Now that Laura was asking, she wasn’t so sure. Were they together? Like, not officially, but she really wanted to be. It would be amazing to be able to call the blonde her girlfriend. The only thing is, she’s never had a relationship before, so she really had no idea what she was doing, and that was a bit terrifying. With that said though, it was just so incredibly easy with Laura. All she had to do was be herself, and that seemed to be more than enough for the girl. It was a strange feeling...being enough to someone. Especially when she spent so many years trying to even just remotely scrape by with her Mother. Carmilla now knew because of Laura, this is what it was supposed to be like.

“Do you want to be?”

Laura had been expecting a yes or no, not a question thrown back at her. But she wasn’t going to run scared now or backtrack. She started this conversation, and she was going to see it though. So she nodded and told the truth.

“Yes.”

Carmilla internally sighed. “Good. Me too.”

Taking a gentle hold of Laura’s chin, she angled her face up so their lips could meet. She relaxed even further when the kiss was enthusiastically returned. And much like it had the past couple days, it escalated quickly. Carmilla pushed the girl onto her back, pressing her into the mattress with her weight for a few seconds before lifting herself up, hands on either side of her head, and her lower body straddling a leg. She felt Laura’s fingers trailing over ribs, so close her her breasts, where she really wanted them to be. Meanwhile, their kisses that had started sweet (and relatively innocent) were only getting deeper and more passionate. She found it hard for her brain to compute anything that wasn’t Laura sucking on her bottom lip. And it wasn’t until a wave of pleasure rolled through Carmilla that she realized her hips were moving. Noticing how wet her panties were were against Laura’s jeans, she broke their kiss, and looked down at the blonde, not knowing what to say in her defense. She had let herself get a little too lost in what they were doing.

“S-sorry.” She managed to get out before attempting to move off of Laura.

“No.” The blonde said, gripping at her waist to keep her there. “It’s okay.”

Laura surprised herself when she’d kept Carmilla right where she was. She wasn’t ready for sex, but she was not opposed to this. She reached up and slid her hand around the back of the girl’s neck, guiding her back to into a kiss, and her other hand found its way down her body. She let her fingers move along the curves until she ended up at Carmilla’s waist, where her tank top had ridden up, exposing some skin before the start of her panties. The soft skin was hot against her fingertips, just begging to be kissed, but she settled for touching right now. Soon though, the throbbing between her legs was making her impatient, Carmilla having not moved above her. Suddenly Laura had a burst of confidence, and trailed her hand down the girl’s leg and took ahold of the back of her thigh, and drew it closer, brushing up against where she needed it most. This time Carmilla, now having the go-ahead from her, continued the motion. Slowly, they each felt something building up inside them, and Laura aided the rocking of Carmilla’s hips with both of her hands.

This feeling was so much different (and better) than anything she’s ever done to herself. And she never wanted it to end. If this was what it was like just rubbing up against one another, she couldn’t even imagine what actual sex would feel like with Carmilla. But as much as she enjoyed the sensation of the slow movements, she wanted more. She needed more. After giving Carmilla’s butt a quick squeeze, she rolled them both over so that she was on top. Wasting no time in adjusting to the new position, pushing both of Carmilla’s legs apart with her own and grinding their hips together harshly. Letting out a shaking breath, Laura continued to thrust up against the girl, in a faster succession, making both of them moan into each other’s mouths as they sloppily kissed. With one last bite of Carmilla’s lip, Laura finally let herself kiss a path down her neck, nipping in choice places, like the the space below her ear and the pulse point where she felt the rapid heartbeat. But she didn’t stop there, her mouth had a life of it’s own.

Carmilla gasped when Laura bit down hard on the swell of her breast, a sting of pain and pleasure coursing through her. This was the first time she had ever done anything like this. She’s never had the urge (or maybe courage) to touch herself, and this was better than anything she could have imagined. Years of wondering why people made such a big deal about sex or masturbation, she now understood. It was like all of her pent up desires and warmth were radiating from her core, about to be unleashed. And with every grind, she could feel herself getting closer and closer to exploding. When Laura finally licked over the bitten spot and kissed it to soothe it, she knew that she was close. With each push against her, the friction built to a peak. Desperately trying to find purchase against Laura, Carmilla pulled the girl against her tightly, panting into her neck. Hands trailed up her back and as one latched onto her shoulder, nails digging into the soft skin, the other threaded through her hair.

Their orgasms only hit each other seconds apart. Carmilla falling apart first, toes curling, and letting herself bite into Laura’s neck in an attempt to contain herself. The blonde, however, had no qualms about letting out a low, breathy whine into the quiet apartment. And for the next few minutes, they both came down from their respective highs, panting against each other’s now sweaty skin. Jesus. If Carmilla’s panties weren’t ruined before, they certainly were now. But she couldn’t care less. All that mattered was the beautiful girl on top of her.

“Are you okay?” She asked in a tired voice.

“Mm. Never better.” Laura dreamily mumbled into her neck before mustering up the energy to push herself up onto her elbows.

Carmilla smiled and leaned up to kiss her. “So...will you be my girlfriend?”

Laura giggled and peck her lips. “You really have to ask after that?”

No, she guessed she didn’t. But she wanted to make it official, once and for all, and Laura seemed to understand that.

“Yes, Carmilla Karnstein, I will be your girlfriend.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so out of practice with writing sexy stuff, so I hope this was at least somewhat okay.


	20. Day 15, Part 2

They had been lying in bed for a while, just enjoying the blissful afterglow with each other. Carmilla felt like she was high. Not the drug kind, but just high on life. Her body still tingled from the activity they had just participated in, and she couldn’t help but think of how much has happened in the last two weeks alone. Laura had come into her life as if it were meant to be. Like it was supposed to happen all along, but it was never the right time...until it was. The world did work in mysterious ways. It brought two girls with completely different backgrounds and from two separate continents together, who would have never met otherwise. While it wasn’t the most ideal situation, she was more than willing to admit that (at least to herself), it was like they were two puzzle pieces that had never fit anywhere else, but had found each other and snapped together perfectly. At least that’s how Carmilla felt. Now that they were in it together, they just needed to figure out where in the puzzle of life that they both fit. 

“Thank you.” Carmilla said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.

Laura quirked an eyebrow and smiled, kissing Carmilla’s temple. “Are you thanking me for giving you an orgasm? Because if so, judging by the bite mark in my neck, I can’t really blame you if it was anything for you like it was for me on my end.”

Carmilla blushed and shook her head, tightening her grip around Laura’s waist. “It’s not that. But if you want a thank you for that too...I’m sure I can return the favor.”

“You already did more than return the favor.” 

She could argue that she really hadn’t done much of anything, but Laura steered the conversation back before she could respond.

“Now, all kidding aside, what are you really thanking me for?”

“Just…” She struggled to find the words, not really knowing how to explain how she was feeling. “For everything.”

“That’s a bit of a broad statement. I think you may be giving me way too much credit.”

Sitting up, Carmilla turned Laura over onto her side, then gathered her up in her arms, pulling her up against the front of her body and buried her face in the soft blonde hair, kissing the back of her neck. “You saved me.”

That was the only thing she could use to describe it. Every since Laura had come into her life, her world has turned upside down. In a wonderful way. She’s experienced such love and affection that she’d previously thought she would never find, and had been more than willing to leave the mansion without Perry coming with her. That in itself was a feat, yet she hadn’t thought twice about it when she proposed it to Laura. Yeah, they still weren’t that far from the mansion, but still, never would she have done this before the blonde. Yes, it had been scary, but the longer she’s away, the more she believes that when the time comes, she’ll be able to move out of the mansion and start the life she’s always wanted, but never had the courage to make it happen. 

“Saved you from what?”

“Myself.” She admitted. “To most, I come off as not-caring, lazy, and spoiled. While I guess those things are a part of me, that’s not a representation of what was really happening on the inside.” Taking a deep breath, she tried to keep the tears at bay, not wanting to ruin the moment. “I just didn’t feel like I had much to live for...so I didn’t attempt to doing anything.”

Laura was serious now, turning around in Carmilla’s arms. Wanting to comfort her, she tried to by running her hand through her dark hair, lightly scratching her scalp, like she know the girl liked.

“You changed that.” Carmilla continued, now looking Laura in the eyes. “For once I feel like there is actually a world out there for me. For us.”

That four letter “L” word was on the tip of her tongue, begging to be said, but as always, she held back. She knew it was still way too soon, and she had no idea if Laura herself was anywhere near ready to say it back. Carmilla definitely didn’t want one of those awkward situations where she poured her heart out, and the response she’d get was a “thank you”. Did that happen in real life, or only in the movies? She didn’t know, but she wasn’t going to take the chance. God that would be embarrassing. So she kept her more intense feelings to herself for now, knowing there would be a right time in the future to spill her guts. More than she already had within that last twenty-four hours. So instead of letting that sentiment slip out too soon, Carmilla leaned forward and kissed Laura sweetly. She was content for the time being to know that Laura felt something for her. She didn’t know how strong that feeling was, and probably wouldn’t until the girl told her, but she could wait. 

Once she pulled away, she was about to curl back up closely to Laura when a frantic knock on the door. It startled both of them, but it was more confusing because they weren’t expecting anyone, let alone the fact that the only time someone had actually knocked on their door was the morning that Carmilla took Laura to see the sunrise. Thinking it could be the manager or something, Carmilla got up and out of bed, quickly hopping into a pair of jeans, and walked through the apartment, zipping and buttoning them before she finally unlocked and opened the door. Much to her surprise, it was someone she knew very well in fact, and not the manager or one of his employees.

“What the? Perry?”

“Your Mother. Here. Now!” She whispered, her words coming out as fast and erratic as her knocking had been.

Carmilla didn’t have a chance to respond before her Mother appeared in the doorway, looking as intimidating as ever as her eyes flickered across everything in sight before finally landing on her daughter. 

“Mother.” Carmilla swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice strong. 

“Carmilla.”

“What are you doing here?” She asked, hoping that wasn’t too blunt for the woman.

“Since you seem to have forgotten how to answer your phone, the only way to get in touch with you seemed to be this option. I attempted to let you know ahead of time, but seeing as how that failed, you are to get ready at the last minute. Though I don’t suppose that’s different from any other occasion.”

“Uh, get ready for what?”

“An event tonight. Dinner and a dance, with the heads of some major corporations from all over Europe.”

Dinner and a dance? She hated those kinds of events. Hell, she hated all kinds of events that her Mother was associated with. She had to pretend to be one of them for hours at a time. Be the daughter that her Mother wished she was all of the time. It was exhausting, and the thought made her nauseous just thinking about it. Glancing over to Perry, she finally noticed the long garment bag draped over the redhead’s arm, and a makeup bag over one shoulder. Her Mother was a lot of things, but unprepared wasn’t one of them. A dress pressed and ready waited for her, all she had to do was have her hair and makeup done. 

“Be ready to leave in an hour.”

But before her Mother could turn away and stride out just as fast as she had appeared only moments before, Carmilla asked the question that had been waiting on her tongue since the second she saw Perry. 

“Wait, how did you know exactly where I was?”

Ms. Karnstein smiled and reached up to lightly pinch Carmilla’s chin between her fingers. “LoJack, sweetheart.”

Of fucking course she would have something tracking her car. Suddenly, she realized how not “off the grid” they were, and a wave of anger hit her. Thankfully, her Mother was out of sight before she said something that would get her into trouble. It was a miracle she hadn’t done anything yet already, though she needed her to have a perfect face for the event. So if she was going to get punishment for not answering her phone, it was coming later. The not knowing part was almost as scary as when fists were flying. A hand found its way into hers, and it helped her calm down a little. Reaching out and shutting the door, Carmilla finally turned around and faced both girls. Laura looked the same as when she left her in the bedroom, save for the collar now around her neck. She had probably done it just in case her Mother had wanted to see her, which was smart. Letting the warm hand go, Carmilla unhooked the latch and took the collar off, setting it on the kitchen counter. Meanwhile, Perry already took off in search of the bathroom, where she’d get the makeup all ready to go. 

“What’s going on?” Laura asked quietly.

She sighed. “I have to go to this event thing with Mother tonight.”

“Oh.” The blonde frowned. “Will you be alright?”

Looking down at the tiny girl, she leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I may die of boredom, but yes, I’ll be fine.”

Although it didn’t seem like Laura believed her, she nodded and stroked her thumb along her fingers. “Well you should probably get ready then.”

“Can’t wait.” She replied in a monotone voice. “On the upside, for you anyway, you get to make fun of me all fancied up. God, I hate dresses…”

And so she met Perry in the bathroom and shut the door behind her so they could have a private moment.

“Wished you’d answered your phone now, huh?” 

Carmilla narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, about that...why didn’t you just tell me from the start that Mother wanted me to go to an event with her?”

“She didn’t tell me that’s what she wanted you for until this morning. Which I texted you about, by the way!” Perry emphasized her point by poking her in the arm.

“So yeah, I turned my phone off. But can you really blame me? I just wanted some peace and quiet with Laura.”

“You two have been gone a week!”

“You say that like it’s been months. A week has felt like nothing.”

Calming down, Perry leans against the counter. “Usually you don’t like to stay away from home long…”

“Things change.” Carmilla shrugs, and mutters. “Time goes by so quickly when I’m actually happy.”

“On one hand, I’m glad to see you branch out. But on the other, it’s not in your best interest to ignore everything else.”

“I’m sorry.”

Waving her hand and busying herself with the makeup bag, Taking out the essentials, before clearing her throat. “Uh, would you like to do that yourself...or?” Perry’s cheeks flushed as she gestured to Carmilla’s chest, her eyes landing anywhere but there.

Looking down, she saw the pink bite mark that Laura had left, and her eyes went wide and she felt her face get hot. God, this was embarrassing. And to think, her Mother had probably seen it as well. Neither her or Perry needed to know they were getting intimate. And neither did the hundreds of guests that she would encounter soon. 

“You. Please.”

She was shit with makeup, and Perry was basically a pro at it by now. Carmilla wasn’t the biggest fan of makeup when not covering up her injuries, so it was usually kept looking quite natural, and some eyeliner, mascara, and hazy black eyeshadow to go with her black dress. It was pretty much the only dress left in her closet that she hadn’t worn out to an event yet. It was simple, form fitting, but still flowy at the bottom, cutting off right before her knees. It wasn’t the worst. She knew she looked good, but dresses always made her paranoid. Any gust of wind could betray her and flip it up, revealing her undies (which she definitely changed and quickly threw her now ruined pair into the hamper). And because it’s happened before, she was even afraid that some pervy guy would try to sneak a peek. Overall, the whole thing was uncomfortable, but she had to keep telling herself that it was only for a couple hours. She finished her look with pulling her hair up into a ponytail and curing the ends, making it look more elegant than it actually is.

“Wow.” Laura had said as Carmilla stepped into the living room. “Carm, you look…”

“Idiotic? Pretentious?”

“Beautiful.” 

She didn’t miss the way the blonde’s hungry eyes look her up and down, and you know what? Maybe dressing this fancy wasn’t all bad. Maybe she’d even keep it on a little while after she got back, but to tease the girl. If they were alone, Carmilla would no doubt be pulling Laura into a kiss right about now, but they both seemed to come out of their thoughts when Perry stood up from where she was sitting next to Laura, and clapped her hands.

“You do look quite stunning, Carmilla, but I’m assuming that you don’t have any dress shoes with you?” 

She turned her attention back to the redhead, who fixed a couple locks of hair. “Nope.”

“Well, your Mother figured as much, so you’re going to stop and get you some before heading to the dinner.”

Lovely. A shopping trip with Mommy Dearest. Just what she needed, more time with the Wicked Witch, and more time away from Laura. Though as she thought about it, they had spent nearly every second with each other since that day at the auction house, so maybe a little time apart would be good for them. As much as she wanted to spent every second with the blonde, she also didn’t want to smother her. She knew what that felt like. Well, not being smothered by love though, but it was still the same thing. And what was that saying? “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”. Carmilla can definitely see the truth in that now that she was in a relationship. That also was a bit weird to think about. But a good weird. She officially had a girlfriend now. She caught herself before she smiled widely at her internal thoughts, and moved aside as Perry headed back towards the bathroom, presumably to pack up the things she brought, Carmilla took her place on the sofa, sitting next to Laura.

“You might want to close your mouth, Creampuff. You may catch flies.” She teased.

Laura playfully nudged her in the arm before leaning into her. “I can’t help it, you look really...sexy.”

Carmilla raised an eyebrow at her, making the girl blush. “Sounds like someone has a crush. How embarrassing.”

“Carm, we’re dating.”

She shrugged. “Still.”

Laura giggled and rolled her eyes at her antics. “You’re unbelievable.”

She wasn’t gonna argue with that. Instead, she took Laura’s face in her hands and brought their lips together soundly. Yeah, going hours without being able to kiss her was going to be cruel and unusual punishment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully there aren't too many mistakes in this chapter. I wrote it running on two hours of sleep, which I don't recommend.
> 
> Also, if you would like to see Carmilla's dress for the event, I posted it on my Tumblr (ceceash.tumblr.com)


	21. Day 15, Part 3

Shopping with her Mother was actually easier than Carmilla had anticipated. She wasn’t in the mood to test her limits, and she let the woman pick out a few pairs of heels, let her see them in each, and let her make the final pick. They were in and out of the store in less than twenty minutes and on their way to Kunsthaus Graz (the ugly blue building) for the event. Both of them were silent in the car (not that Carmilla was complaining) the only noise being the whooshing of cool air coming through the vents. The partition was up, so she couldn’t even see Kirsch, which would have made her feel a bit more comfortable. She wouldn’t ever tell him so, but she actually kind of missed the big puppy dog of the man he is. Yeah, she’d missed Perry a bit too, even with her neurotic tendencies. The woman had been right, she should have just answered back when the first message had come, but whats done is done, and everything seems to be relatively fine, her Mother not giving her a speech or threat of harm to come was a good sign. She hoped.

In fact, her Mother wasn’t quite acting like herself now that she thought about it. When her and Perry had arrived at the apartment, she hadn't gotten rough with her, physically or in yelling at her. Maybe that's because the redhead had been right there, and her Mother's M.O. was to deal with her in private. But still. Even as they sit there in the car, she expected a lecture about how if she wasn't on her best behavior at the event, she'd pay for it at home. But nothing. She chanced a glance to the woman and took in her appearance and demeanor. She sat stiffly, body turned toward her door, and she was looking out the window as if she wasn’t really seeing what was out there, but was stuck in her own head. It was strange to see her like that. If it were anyone else, Carmilla would ask if she was alright, but she wasn't taking the chance. Thankfully, It wasn’t a long drive to the art center, though with the traffic being held up because everyone was trying to get there at the same time, they really could have walked there faster. And it was a relief when she stepped out of the car, taking in a breath of fresh air, and gazing up at the ugliest thing she’s ever seen.

Threading a slender arm around hers, her Mother guided them into the blue blob and finally spoke. "I trust that you will behave tonight."

That's it. That's all she had to say. No speech. No threats. Just that she trusted her to behave. Yeah, something was up, she just didn't know what it was. Once they stepped into the cool building, they stopped to sign the mandatory guestbook. It was essential, just in case something was stolen, from one of the guests or an item in the building that was hosting the event, so they could easily narrow down suspects. It was a good thing, but somehow always made Carmilla paranoid. She always imagined a priceless piece of art or jewelry would be stolen and she’d be brought in for questioning to the nearest police station, where they were interrogate her because she showed signs of guilt, and make her confess to something that she didn’t do. Yeah, that was a bit far-fetched, but it happens. She watches those true crime shows on TV enough to know that. And she just knew her luck was shit. So it would only be fitting that she would be put away for life because of some weird hole in her story because she's nervous or something. Again, she knew nothing like that would ever happen to her, but a girl gets lonely, which makes you think of all these weird scenarios.

She picked up the pen and signed her name in fast, loopy cursive, then set the it down and followed her Mother. They went one flight up and entered a large room where about thirty people were already gathered. This was just the “holding area”, as she referred to it as. Usually the hosts waited until pretty much all of the guests had arrived, and then ushered them into a different room where they would eat. And then later into another room for the dance. She expected a couple hundred guests to be there. That was about the typical amount. This place could hold a great number though, so who knows, there may even be more than that. Hell, she still had no fucking clue what the event was about. Most the time there is a loose theme, like a certain charity that no one really cares about, but they want to look good and give a fat check just for the recognition. Other times, it’s all about networking. People from all over Europe get together and meet each other, hoping to land some new deals, only to make them richer. She would be able to tell which scenario tonight was once the dinner started.

In the mean time, she just kept close to her Mother and followed her over to a couple. An older man that looked vaguely familiar, and his much younger wife. Or she assumed. Heck, could be his daughter for all she knew.

“Baron. Nice to see you.” Ms. Karnstein smiled her signature fake smile and leaned forward, fake-kissing either sides of his cheeks.

“Lilita.” He greeted with a strange, breathy accent. “Good to see you again, my dear. This is Roxanne.”

“Pleasure.” The younger woman said before cuddling up to the gray-haired man.

Just then, her Mother turned to her expectantly. “Carmilla, don’t be rude. Say hello to Mr. Vordenberg.”

Vordenberg! That’s it. Yes, he owned a big publishing company.

“Good evening, Mr. Vordenberg. Lovely to see you again. Roxanne.” She shook both of their hands, and resisted the urge to groan when the old man's bony fingers gripped a bit too tight.

“You’ve grown so much since the last time I saw you, fräulein. How old are you now?” He asked, sweet smile on his face, making his wrinkles bunch up together.

Truth be told, she couldn’t remember meeting him before, but definitely heard about him due to his successful publishing company. Thankfully. She hated pretending to remember who someone was when she had absolutely no idea.

“Seventeen.” She replied.

“Oh my goodness. Make a man feel old, why don’t you.” He teased with a soft chuckle. “Of legal age now, too. Have you exercised any of your newfound freedoms?”

She knew what he was asking, and she felt her cheeks warm. “I guess you could say that.”

Her Mother stepped in. “She got herself a slave two weeks ago.”

“Ah...I remember when I bought my first slave. So long ago, but such fond memories.”

Carmilla did her best to keep up her own fake smile. Internally, anger rose within her, even though she had no idea if he was a good owner or not. Probably though. Most the people here were likely bad owners. She’d been around enough of them over the years to know how they talk about them. Much like her Mother, referring to them as “pets”. She wasn’t like that. She wasn’t like them at all. And she never would be. She promised herself that much. After that, the adults got to talking about something else that she couldn’t care less about, and she itched to reach into her clutch and take out her cell phone to text Perry. Well, Laura through Perry’s phone. She hadn’t thought about buying the blonde her own because they spent all their time together. But now she wished she would have, even only for this one instance. But she couldn’t take her phone out just yet, it would be considered rude. So throughout the next thirty minutes, the two Karnstein women made small talk with a few couples, her Mother most likely saving the business talk for after dinner. It was the polite thing to do, after all.

It was such a relief, mostly to Carmilla’s feet, when the entire crowd of two-hundred plus people were escorted to where they would be dining. There, round tables cloaked in white table cloths weaved through the pieces of art that were on display. They ended up sitting around the middle of the room, next to one of the bulky art pieces that gave the building a run for its money in ugliness. A middle-aged couple and their twenty-something son ended up sitting at the table with them. She didn’t recognize them either, and she mentally prepared herself to make it though polite conversation for the next hour or so. She was hoping once the food was there that the conversation would stay between the adults, but she could feel the son looking at her, his eyes burning a hole into the side of her head as she pretended not to notice. Again, it was clear that the couple knew her Mother, and so she was introduced to the Armitage family like they were old friends. Jeremiah Preston, was the boy’s name, and it took everything in Carmilla not to roll her eyes so hard. Such a pretentious name. Though it seemed to fit the family. By the way they dressed, they gave off the “better than thou” style that made her want to release a heavy sigh.

Avoiding eye contact was apparently the way to go, to not give Jeremiah the wrong idea about conversing. Instead, she glanced around the room while half listening to her Mother talk with Mr. and Mrs. Armitage. Carmilla gathered that he was a hot-shot CEO here in Graz, with his huge electronics company. He basically has an empire just from Europe alone, and is expected to give Apple a run for their money soon in the States when they start importing his products. Finally when food was set down in front of them, Carmilla felt so relieved. Not only because she was hungry (not having eaten anything that day because, well, other things happened), but it gave everyone else something to focus on. The waiter announced what the dish was, and not surprisingly, it had a complicated name that she would never be able to say. It wasn’t necessary though, because she knew just from the sight of it, it was a chicken dish. It smelled amazing, and looked great on the plate. She hated to disturb it, but her stomach growled on cue and waited no longer before picking up her silverware and digging in. Slowly though, she had to remind herself. She didn’t want to be reprimanded by her Mother for being sloppy of all things.

While eating saved her from interacting in pretty much all of the conversation going on around her, she could still sense Jeremiah side-eying her every once in a while. It was getting to be a bit annoying. She knew he wanted to start a conversation with her, but as long as she didn't acknowledge him, he stayed quiet. Yeah, she kind of felt bad about it. They hadn’t met before, so maybe he’s just curious about her, for whatever reason. If she were being honest, she was kind of curious about him too. And when he wasn’t looking at her, she chanced a glance herself. He looked nice enough in his velvety silver blazer with a black tie and black shirt underneath. Black pants donned his legs, along with shiny, black shoes to complete the look. His dark brown hair was short and very lightly gelled, parted on the left side and swooping swiftly to the right, in kind of an old-fashioned style that suited him. His brown eyes were soft, when she finally ended up catching his eyes, and he quickly shifted his eyes away, clearly a little flustered having been caught looking that time. Carmilla took another moment to observe him then.

He was an attractive guy with a long face. Skin was clear and perfect, no blemishes. Neither pale nor sunkissed. Even his facial hair was pretty clean cut. Stubble growing out in a mustache, slight soul patch, and some scruff on his chin. His lips were kind of a pastel pink, and when she’d seen him smile earlier when his family had been introduced, he had pearly white teeth. He seemed to have it all together, looks wise at least. She wondered what he did exactly. He didn’t look that much older than her, so did he work for his father, or did he venture out and do something on his own? Hell, maybe she’ll dance with him later as an excuse to ask him some questions. Carmilla mentally crossed her fingers, hoping he wasn’t some spoiled rich kid who was utterly unbearable. He may have gotten his good looks from his father, but she was hoping his personality would be more like his mother, who had been fairly quiet the entire time, letting her husband do most of the talking, only jumping in to say something every now and then in between in his constant praising of himself and his company. When she was finished with her meal, Carmilla excused herself to the bathroom, wanting a break for a couple minutes. As soon as she closed the door behind her, she pulled out her cell phone and opened a text window.

_Carmilla (6:02pm): Perry, hand your phone over to Laura._

_Perry (6:02pm): A “please” wouldn’t kill you…_

_Carmilla (6:02pm): Pleaaaaaaase._

_Perry (6:03pm): Hey, it's L. Is everything okay?_

_Carmilla (6:03pm): Peachy. Guess where I am._

_Perry (6:03pm): Uh...I don’t know, where?_

_Carmilla (6:04pm): The dead artery._

_Perry (6:04pm): Oh boy. We both know how much you love that place._

_Carmilla (6:04pm): It’s worse with hundreds of rich assholes tooting their own horns, or talking about the artwork like they actually find it interesting._

_Perry (6:05pm): Sounds exhausting._

_Carmilla (6:05pm): It really is._

_Carmilla (6:05pm): Is it too soon to say that I miss you?_

_Perry (6:05pm): I miss you too :)_

_Carmilla (6:06pm): Good. I can’t wait for this to be over so I can come cuddle with you again._

_Perry (6:06pm): <3 Stay strong!_

_Carmilla (6:06pm): I’ll see you in a bit. <3_

When Carmilla made her way back to the table, everyone was getting ready to be moved to the next room. It was only a few minutes later when they were ushered there. The only thing different from the last time she was here with Laura was that sofas had been placed along the perimeter of the room. For resting after a few dances, or to have some place to conduct business, and there was already soft music playing by a small orchestra on the other side of the room. Like the dances usually went, they started off with classical, and by the end of the night, it would somehow devolve into more modern dance music. It was meant for people to loosen up a bit after a few drinks and have some fun when all the business talk was mostly over. And if there was a charity theme, which there didn’t seem to be one for this, then it also helped loosen people's wallets as well. It was a pretty smart idea. And she couldn’t help but be a little bit entertained by adults pulling out the dance moves that are thirty-plus years old. Of course there were the usual sticklers, like her Mother, that never participated in dancing. That would be a sight for sure. An embarrassing one.

She was also happy that this point in the evening had finally rolled around because that meant she wasn’t expected to stick by her Mother’s side the entire time. It’s not like she ever mingled much, not too many people her age attended, but every once in a while she would accept a dance from someone who looked nice. Of course it always seemed that later on she would find out what a huge douche they were and regret it. But what else was she to do with her time? Walking around the side of the room, she watched as a few couple stepped into the middle of the room and started waltzing to the music. When a waiter passed by her a minute later, she didn’t hesitate to grab a glass of champagne off of it. Her first once since turning seventeen, though she’s tasted it before. As the rest of the people finally piled in the room, more joined the others in dancing. It was times like this where she kind of felt like she was back in time. If she ignored the ridiculous artwork and modern day clothing, she could pretend that this was the end of some fairly tale where the characters all attended a ball and lived happily ever after.

That kind of daydream wouldn't last long, but it was something that kept her brain occupied. She wondered what it would be like to waltz with Laura. To bring her to a function and pretend that it was the ball celebrating their happy ending. Maybe one day they could have something like that. Not with all this kind of people though. People that she actually liked to be in the presence of. Friends. If she ever made any. The thought that she didn’t have any besides Perry and Kirsch (if you could consider her Mother’s employees friends), was sad. She had thought that maybe she’d found a friendship in Will all those months ago. That he had seen how shitty the life he’d been living was with treating his slaves like crap. They’d had deep talks that made her think that he had changed his mind on the whole slave culture, but it all had been a lie. He just wanted to get close to her to see if she would spill anything about her Mother or any of her work projects. Whether he wanted to get some info to cause a scandal and tear her down, or blackmail her for whatever he wanted, she didn’t know.

And frankly she didn’t want to at this point. She’d been so heartbroken over the loss of what turned out to be a completely false friendship. Maybe that’s why she wanted a slave so badly. To have someone that was automatically loyal to her, to where she didn’t have to worry about someone trying to take advantage of her. Of course, even if Laura wasn’t her slave, just by her personality and the girl she has gotten to know, she knew she would never do something like that to her, and that was comforting. Laura was a friend, right? They just happened to also share more. Was it weird to realize that just now? Probably. Drinking the last of her champagne, she set the empty glass on a tray that another waiter was carrying, before she made her way around the bend of the room and into the observation deck. It was a small but long, skinny room with all glass windows and couches that lined the walls. The sun was setting, and the street lights started to flicker on, and the city was becoming illuminated by headlights from cars. She took a seat down at the very end of the aisle and looked out the windows longingly. She wished Laura was here...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'd like to see how I envisioned J.P., head on over to my Tumblr (ceceash) and have a looksie.


	22. Day 15, Part 4

Carmilla sat by herself for a few minutes before a couple came in and sat at the other end of the observation room. She tried not to be annoyed, it’s not like it was her space anyway, but she could never really find a hideout spot at these events to pass the time and avoid everyone. The more she thought about the company she did actually want, she decided that she did not in fact want Laura to be here. She wanted to keep her as far away from these rich assholes as possible. She wished she were back at the apartment instead. Cuddling on the sofa sounded like heaven right about now...

“Carmilla, there you are.” A voice said from behind her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Turning her head, she saw her table partner approach her, hands buried in his pants pockets, and a sweet, inviting smile on his face.

“Jeremiah.” She greeted awkwardly.

“Please.” He cringed, sitting down on the couch next to her at a respectable distance. “Jeremiah is my grandfather. I prefer to go by J.P. Much to the dismay of my parents.”

“No offense, but J.P. isn’t a vast improvement.” She teased before she could stop herself.

He huffed out a soft chuckle and shrugged his shoulders. “Well, I gotta work with what I got.”

Hm. He didn’t get offended at her basically insulting him. Maybe he wasn’t as bad as she had automatically assumed.

“So...hiding out in here for a reason?”

She debated on telling the truth, but still, didn’t know exactly how stuck up he was. And not knowing what to say, she shrugged and looked down at her hands, her fingers fidgeting.

Shifting to where he face her a bit more, he put his arm on the back of the sofa and looked at her like he was trying to figure out how to solve a puzzle. “I’m sorry if I’m overstepping...but, you don’t seem like you really belong here.”

Was she really that obvious? “I definitely do not...”

“Obligation?” He guessed.

“Something like that.” She muttered, letting her eyes unfocus as she looked back out the window. “My Mother doesn’t really give me much of a choice.”

“Strict?”

“With things like this.”

J.P. hummed in understanding. “Seems like we’re in kind of the same boat. I’ve never liked these things either. The people are mostly fake, and their morals skewed. It’s quite concerning for the day in age that we are living in.”

Okay, maybe J.P. was actually one of the good guys. If he was hinting at what she thought he was, then they may actually be more alike than she ever expected. If there was a time to take a chance, it was now.

“Have they made you get a slave?” She asked bluntly.

“No. Thankfully.” He answered quickly, shaking his head. “Though I think it’s because my parents are more concerned with my part in the family business and having grandchildren soon.”

God, she wasn’t thankful for much when it came to her Mother, but in this case, she was incredibly grateful that those things had never been something pushed upon her.

“Has your Mother made you get a slave yet?”

Crap. What was she to say? Technically she hadn’t been forced to get a slave. She could have waited a while longer before she was pushed to, but the fact is, she wanted one.

“Not...exactly.” She finally said, but that felt so wrong coming off her tongue. “I mean, yes and no.”

J.P. rose an eyebrow. “You are quite the confusing girl, I must say.”

“I just mean...she hadn’t forced me to. Not yet. But I...wanted one.” She looked down, avoiding his gaze. “I wanted a friend. Unfortunately, that was the only way to get one.”

He sat quietly for a few moments before nodding to himself. “I get how lonely it can be.”

“Don’t get me wrong.” She continued, wanting to make sure that he knew that she wasn’t actually like those people in the next room. “I hate how slaves are treated. It’s not right, and I make sure to treat mine with as much love and respect as I can.”

“Well, you’d be one of the only ones. Most people these days don’t even recognize them as other human beings.”

She nodded, knowing all too well. “My Mother calls them pets. It makes my skin crawl.”

“As do my parents.” He said before scooting closer to her, making sure that they wouldn’t be overheard by the couple on the other side of the room, and lowered his voice. “You know, there is an organization starting, aiming to take down the slavery laws. Not just here in Europe, but all over the world.”

She hadn’t heard about this. But it’s not like she was connected to anyone that would have given her this kind of information in the first place. It’s not surprising though, over the years there have been groups formed to protest the laws, but nothing ever came of it. This sounds different, especially if someone here is talking about it.

“Who’s heading it?” Carmilla asked, curiously.

“Not sure who it will be yet, but they will be trying to get as many rich and influential people behind them as they can. Not just politicians, but like, people in the next room with a lot of money. Of course not actually the people in the next room because we know how shitty they are.” He scoffed. “But because most of the public around the world is fifty/fifty on the slave issue, they’re confident that if there’s enough influential people on their side, the tides will turn in our favor.”

That was actually amazing news. If this actually worked, the slave laws could be abolished within the next few years.

“It’s all happening in secret right now, so all of us supporters are laying low until the right time.” He continued. “It’s exciting though, being a part of it. To be honest, I kind of feel like a spy when at these things.”

“Do you actually pass along any information?”

J.P. nodded. “Sometimes. If I overhear something that may be important to the cause.”

Color her impressed. J.P. is a rebel dressed in goodie-two-shoes clothing.

“Then you really are a spy. A good one too, because I would have never guessed.”

He smirked and told her a little bit more about what he knew and a little more about himself. Carmilla lost track of how long they actually sat there, and barely registered couples coming and going from the observation room. It wasn’t until Mrs. Armitage walked up to them, interrupting their conversation, that she realized that they had pretty much had holed up in their own little world for the last hour. The woman looked happier than she had earlier, and encouraged them, with a little bit too much enthusiasm, to share a dance. She wasn’t one to like dancing, but that was mainly it was because she was always stuck with strangers, or just people she didn’t like. However, she actually agreed with the woman, standing up and playfully dragging J.P. up from the sofa. Since their hideout had been compromised, it was best to actually look like they belonged now. J.P. Had to keep up his spy persona anyway, and this would only help the both of them.

After a few minutes of silent waltzing, the music faded into a slower rhythm. She placed both of her arms around J.P.’s  neck, and his hands gently rested on her waist. As they silently slow-danced, not having an awkward conversation to keep up like usual, her ears picked up on quiet snippets of conversations happening around her.

_“I’m telling you, she doesn’t suspect a thing…thinks we’re just friends.”_

_“He’s so old...going to die soon anyway, then that money will be mine…”_

_“Well aren’t you a dirty little girl...can’t wait…bend you over the kiddie pool…creamed corn all over you...”_

Good Lord. She blocked that one out quickly, not wanting to hear the rest.

“Wow, you’re right.” She said to J.P. “You overhear a lot of...interesting things when you’re paying attention.”

He gave her a knowing smile and a small nod.

The rest of the evening consisted of more dancing and talking to themselves, though when Carmilla’s feet were hurting too much, they had sat one one of the sofas and observed the rest of the time. When the time came to leave, both the Karnstein's and Armitage's continued their conversations on the way out of the building, and stood together while waiting for their drivers to come and pick them up.

“Actually, I was hoping that I could escort you back.” J.P. said, surprising everyone, then he turned to Ms. Karnstein. “If that’s alright with you. I’ll make sure she gets back safely.”

She swears she’s never seen her Mother smile so bright before. And the scary thing is, it actually looked genuine.

“Of course, Jeremiah.” She patted him on his shoulder before turning to her. “May I have a moment with you first?”

Carmilla nodded and they walked a few feet away.

“I have a meeting in the morning, but am free in the afternoon. I expect you to come by my hotel room so we can have a little chat. Perry will text you when.”

Without waiting for an answer, her Mother turned and walked away, heading for Kirsch’s car. J.P. said goodnight to his parents, who got into their own car a few seconds later, and joined her, waiting until they drove off.

“So...I took a taxi here from the hotel…” He started, but Carmilla cut him off.

“It’s not worth the trouble. The apartment I’m staying at isn’t too far of a walk...if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all! I could use some fresh air.”

Carmilla was thankful that J.P. was so cool. Never would she have thought that she’d be walking home from this event with a potential friend. Though the walking got too uncomfortable after only a few minutes that she had to stop and take her dress shoes off. Not caring if her feet got dirty. However, J.P. was concerned that she would end up stepping on something and cutting her foot, so he surprised her in hunching down in front of her and grabbed her legs to pick her up. She squealed and wrapped her arms around him anywhere she could as he hiked her up on his back. She apologized while laughing that the place she’d held onto was his face, and her shoes nearly whacking him in the eye. Luckily, he had a good chuckle at that as well. When they both settled into comfortable positions, he carried her with ease. He may have looked a bit scrawny, but apparently there was some muscle underneath his fancy clothes.

“Want to exchange numbers?” He asked with a charming smile, when they made it to the front of the apartment building and set her down.

Normally when guys wanted her number, she turned them down politely, but J.P. was different. She liked him from the amount of time they had spent together, once she got past the awkward introductions and dinner, and realized that he was actually really cool. So they handed their phones to the other person and punched in their info. Carmilla really was hoping that this would be the start of a great friendship, seeing as though they had a lot in common. The kind of friendship that she’s always seeked out, but never quite got. Yes, there’s Laura, but your significant other can’t be your only friend. That was just unhealthy, and she didn’t want to put that much burden on her. Plus, if they ever had problems or an argument, it would be really nice to have someone to go to, that wasn’t Perry or Kirsch, because that would just be weird, and she also wouldn’t want to make Laura feel weird about it. They were her friends too. So she couldn’t contain her smile when they handed their phones back to each other.

Once she looked back up at him, he looked at her with a new expression. One that she hadn’t seen all night, but knew what it meant. Guess she’d gotten something out of watching cheesy romance movies with Laura after all. Her body wasn’t responding to the freakout that was happening in her brain, and since J.P.couldn’t read her mind, he cupped her face and leaned down to her in one swift motion, their lips meeting in a soft kiss. His facial hair tickled her skin as his thumb gently grazed her cheek, while his other hand rested on her hip. It only lasted maybe five seconds, but it felt like an eternity before he finally pulled away when he realized that she hadn’t kissed him back. God, this was awkward. Carmilla thought that he had just wanted a friend, like she did. Apparently that wasn’t the case, which made this all the more disappointing. Why couldn’t boys just be happy with platonic relationships? Why did they always want it to evolve into something more?

She wanted to yell and throw something, but she managed to keep her cool, only clenching her fists together to let out some tension. And as she stared at him, wide-eyed, he realized that she hadn’t been into it.

“I’m sorry, I just thought…” He started, but didn’t finish his sentence.

She didn’t know what to say, or if she really should say anything. He was obviously embarrassed, as well as her, and nothing either of them could say would make anything better.

“I should probably go, then…” He muttered. “I had a really nice night.”

Only nodding, she let him go, walking back down the sidewalk the way they came, his head hung. Letting out a shaky breath, her brain finally started back up again. She felt terrible. Guilt washing over her in such a heavy wave, that she nearly burst into tears. Carmilla knew it wasn’t her fault, but she felt as though she had cheated on Laura. They hadn’t even officially been together twenty-four hours, and she’d already kissed someone that wasn’t her. No. She hadn’t kissed him, he had kissed her. But what if that didn’t matter to Laura? What if she would still be mad? What if this made her not want to be with her anymore? Fuck, she couldn’t ever do anything right. But Carmilla knew that she had to tell the girl what happened. All she could do was hope that it wouldn’t lead to a big fight. That’s the last thing she wanted. She didn’t want anything to come between them, especially now with how far they’ve come in their relationship in such a short period of time. Laura knew things about her that she’s never told anyone else. She didn't want to lose that.

Now there was a possibility of the girl hating her. Before she knew it, Carmilla sat herself down on the concrete steps that lead into the apartment building, and tears blurred her vision. She buried her face in her hands, and let the tears come. Was it embarrassing that she was sitting outside have a breakdown? Yes. But it beat going upstairs a mess. She needed to collect herself first. She sniffled to herself for a few minutes before a big hand rested on her shoulder. It made her jump at the suddenness of it, but when she realized it was Kirsch, she relaxed. She had completely forgotten that he was coming to pick Perry up. She hadn’t noticed when he arrived, so he quite possibly could have seen most of her blubbering. If he did, he didn’t say anything. He just pulled her closer until she rested her head on his shoulder, and rubbed up and down her back, doing his best to comfort her. After she had calmed down for the most part, Kirsch pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and offered it to her. She gratefully took it, then after a minute, pulled out her phone to text Perry.

_Carmilla (10:16pm): I’m downstairs. You can leave now, Kirsch is waiting._

Not two minutes later, the curly-haired redhead stepped out of the building. “Have a good evening, Carmilla?” She asked, then stopped, seeing Carmilla’s swollen eyes and irritated nose.

She wished she hadn’t put her hair up, because now she couldn’t hide behind her locks, shielding her face from what was probably a splotchy mess, but it was too late. She’d already been seen.

“What’s the matter?” Perry asked quickly, taking Kirsch’s place.

“It’s nothing, I’m fine.” She insisted.

Carmilla knew Perry wanted to ask a million more questions, but by now, the redhead knew it was probably best to leave her be for the moment. If she wanted to talk, she would.

“Seriously. I’m okay.”

Perry sighed and promised to text her the next day. She nodded, and watched both her and Kirsch reluctantly leave her there by herself. Now that she didn’t have anything else to really bide her time, she figured that she’d just have to suck it up, face Laura, and pray that this doesn’t end badly.


	23. Day 15, Part 5

After Carmilla dragged herself up the stairs, she entered the apartment with dry eyes, but a lump still sat in the base of her throat. She had collected herself for the most part, though she was sure that her eyes were swollen enough from crying for someone to notice right off the bat. Closing the door behind her, she let out a shaky breath and discarded her dress shoes on the rug, happy to finally get them off of her feet, and let them hit the floor with a muffled clatter. She cringed. Her head hurt from crying and trying to process what happened, and her feet were sore from walking around and dancing in heels for hours. All she wanted was a nice, warm bubble bath to ease the tension in her body, a dose of Advil, and a certain cuddly girlfriend to lay in bed with. But after her confession, she didn’t know if she would have a girlfriend at all anymore. Yes, Laura was understanding, more so than anyone she’d ever met, but this was different.

“There you are!” Laura’s cheery voice pierced through her like a knife to the heart.

They next thing she knew, she was being gently tackled into a hug, making her stumble backwards slightly. Arms around her neck gripped tightly, and Carmilla didn’t know what to do with her hands. Normally she would return the hug just as intensely, but not this time. She didn’t deserve this affection she was receiving. Not after what just happened. So when her fingertips merely held Laura’s sides to keep her steady, the blonde pulled back with a frown, automatically knowing something was wrong.

“Carm, what’s the matter?” She said once she saw her expression and puffy eyes. “What happened? Did you Mother hurt you?”

Laura’s eyes frantically scanned over Carmilla’s body, looking for any damage. All she could do was shake her head, not trusting her voice quite yet as the lump in her throat rose and more tears threatened to fall. Was it bad that she wished it had been her Mother’s abuse that had her crying than what had actually happened? Probably. Taking in a deep, shaky breath, Carmilla prepared herself for the horrible outcome that was only a few moments away. And truth be told, she actually needed a few more seconds to figure out how she was going to go about telling Laura what happened. Was it best to start from the very beginning of the night, to set up how exactly she ended up in this predicament? Or was it better to just get right to the issue? God, she hated that she even had to explain something that never should have happened to begin with. And not knowing how Laura would react was just plain scary. She could already imagine the disappointment in her eyes mixed with anger.

But before she even had a chance to open her mouth though, Laura tugged her hand and lead her around the kitchen and guided her onto one of the stools at the counter. This felt backwards. If anything, she should be sitting Laura down to break the awful news to her. But here she was, looking up at her concerned girlfriend. Closing her eyes, she tried to halt the tears that were making her vision blur. The blonde’s hands held hers, rubbing back and forth against her palm.

“Baby.” Laura said with such a gentle voice it broke Carmilla’s heart that much more. “Just tell me.”

Right. Just tell her. No matter how she said it, it was all going to be the same, so she thought it best to rip off the bandaid and hope for the best. She nodded and sniffled before finally forcing herself to say the words.

“A guy...kissed me.”

The silence that followed was nearly deafening. Her gaze burning into the floor, afraid to look up at Laura’s face. She felt the hands around hers stiffen, thumb stopping mid-stroke against her skin. She waited for the moment when the girl would pull them away, not wanting to touch her anymore.

“That’s it?” Laura asked softly.

“Y-yes.” Carmilla managed to get out.

This time the girl did let go, but let out a relieved sigh and stepped in between Carmilla’s legs, pulling her into a hug. “I thought someone had really hurt you. Carm, don’t scare me like that.”

It took a few seconds, but Carmilla’s brain finally caught up with what was going on. “Wait...you aren’t mad?”

The blonde pulled back, hands sliding onto her shoulders, keeping their closeness. “At you? No.”

Carmilla frowned, not understanding. Laura thankfully seemed to pick up on it and continued.

“Did _you_ kiss _him_?"

"No."

"Did you purposefully lead him on?”

“No.”

“Did you kiss him back?

“No.”

“Do you want him to kiss you again?”

“No.”

“So then why would I be mad?”

Hot tears streamed down her face as she avoided Laura’s gaze. “We just got together. I didn’t want to screw it up already.”

Carmilla hated how desperate she sounded, but she couldn’t help it. It was the truth.

The blonde wiped her tears away with the back of her finger. “You didn’t screw anything up.”

“But...don’t you need to hear how it happened?”

The only frame of reference that Carmilla had for relationships were movies and television. Shouldn’t Laura have slapped her and stormed out by now? As soon as that thought crossed her mind though, she started to realize how ridiculous it sounded. She knew her girlfriend. She may not know every single thing about her at this point, but she knew enough to know that Laura wasn’t like that. For one, she would never hit her. And not just because she’s seen her abusive Mother in action, but because she was a good human being. Two, it wasn’t like she could just storm out whenever she wanted. As a slave, she wasn’t allowed to go anywhere without Carmilla. But she didn’t want to think about that right now. Laura brought her back out of her thoughts, hand now caressing her cheek.

“Not unless you want to tell me.”

Carmilla felt that she owed that to Laura, so she retold the order of events that lead up to twenty minutes ago. The entire time, the blonde listened without interruption, only nodding encouragements to continue. Thankfully, because of the patience and care that she was receiving, it became easier to relay what happened.

“He was really nice. I just thought he wanted to be friends…”

Laura affectionately ran her fingers through the hair at the back of Carmilla’s neck before she replied. “Honey, you can’t blame yourself for some guy getting his signals crossed.”

Leaning forward, Carmilla rested her head on her girlfriend’s chest, wrapping her arms around Laura's middle, holding her tight. “Thank you for not being mad.” She whispered, once her girlfriend returned the embrace.

“I’m not mad because I trust you. And you know what? This only makes me trust you more, because you didn’t try to hide it. You told me what happened and answered my questions.”

That was true. It’s not like she could (or wanted) to keep it from Laura. It was the right thing to tell her as soon as possible. There was no alternative in her mind.

“You just need to trust me. Trust that I won’t jump to conclusions before I hear the whole story. Even without the whole story, I’ll always automatically be on your side. I can’t not be.”

Carmilla pulled away, only enough to look up to Laura with a questioning glance, not really getting what she was saying.

“With every day that goes by, you tell me how you feel about me, whether it’s with words or not. How you kiss me tenderly or passionately, how you hold my hand securely in yours, or how you cuddle with me any chance you get. I feel it all the time. I have no reason to believe that you would purposefully do something that would hurt me and ruin what we have. That’s why I trust you. Now...why don’t you trust me?”

Before she replied that of course she trusted her, she stopped. Did she really? She knew she wanted to, so badly. But it was hard. With the way she grew up, not knowing who would hurt her, who would betray her. Hell, now that she thought about it, she didn’t even trust Perry, the woman she’s known longer than anyone other than her Mother. Yes, she had always been there for her, but she was still her Mother’s “right hand man”, for lack of a better term. First and foremost, loyal to her. And Kirsch...well she didn’t spend enough alone time with him to truly trust him. Again, as much as she wants to trust him, he’s employed by her Mother as well. Then there was Will, who she had been on the road to trusting, thinking he had changed, but then that fell through fast.

“I guess...I don’t trust anyone. Not really.”

And then there was Laura. A girl who Carmilla wanted to give her whole heart to. The one person in her life that actually deserved to be trusted, she didn’t. But she needed to remedy that. She needed to let herself be completely vulnerable for once, and if it had to be for someone, it would be for Laura.

“But I’ll try. For you.”

The blonde’s lips tugged upward in a smile and she leaned forward, resting her forehead against Carmilla’s. A moment of understanding passed between them. They both got where the other was coming from, and though it may be difficult, they both had things they needed to work on to make this relationship work in the long-run. But it was amazing to see how far they’d come so far in such a short time. That only made Carmilla want to do better. To be better. Not just for Laura now, but for both of them. This was yet another moment that she wanted to spill her feelings, but it still didn’t seem like the right time. When would it be? It was something that was becoming a real annoyance. But she still didn’t want to pressure Laura into saying something that she may not feel just yet. So she did what the girl had told her she was good at. Conveying her feelings through actions instead of words. She paused a moment to rub their noses in an eskimo kiss before she leaned up and brought their lips together.

There was always something different in the way Carmilla felt when she was with Laura. Normally she couldn’t place exactly what that feeling was, but tonight was different. As they held each other close, kissing sweetly, it finally dawned on her. Home. Laura was home. She’s never felt it before because of the way she grew up. She’d never felt completely comfortable at the mansion, even when her Mother wasn’t there. It felt as though she was living in someone else’s life, and that nothing around her was actually hers. The mansion was tailored for her Mother, not Carmilla. But here, in this apartment in Graz with Laura, this felt like home. It made her never want to leave. It made her wish they could just stay like this and never have to deal with anything ever again. Unfortunately, that wasn’t reality. However, they could live in their bubble just a little bit longer. After a few minutes, Laura lead her into the bedroom and helped her out of the dress.

Keeping her back facing the girl, Carmilla changed into some PJs and pulled the band out of her hair, letting it loose for the first time in hours, then climbed into bed. It had been a long day, and the cure was to do what they seemed to do best: cuddle. They laid together for a while, in silence, nothing to distract them from each other. It was nice, especially after the evening Carmilla had. It wasn’t until her phone vibrated on the nightstand that they were pulled out of their own little world. She wanted to ignore it, but if there was anything that she learned over the past few days, it’s never ignore messages or else she may end up with her Mother at her door. Turning over, she picked her phone up and unlocked it. A conversation window opened, and she was surprised to see who the text was from. Just then, two more came in, vibrating the device in her hand.

_J.P. Armitage (10:23pm): Hello, Carmilla. I just wanted to apologize for what happened earlier tonight. The evening had gone so well, and I seemed to have ruined it._

_J.P. Armitage (10:24pm): I really like you. You’re not like the other girls my parents have tried to set me up with in the past. You actually have a personality, you’re not fake with me, and you make me smile._

_J.P. Armitage (10:24pm): But if it is friendship that you would rather have, I most certainly would take that over nothing at all._

Wait...his parents set him up to meet her? That could only mean one thing. Shit. That must be why her Mother had been acting strangely. Both of their parents had been in on their little set up. Hell, fucking J.P. had been in on it to an extent...but she had been left in the dark. Made to think that it was just a chance meeting with a nice guy. Why the Hell would her Mother do this to her?

“What’s the matter?” Laura asked from beside her, no doubt seeing the frown on her face.

“It’s J.P.”

The blonde sat up. “Is he bothering you?”

Carmilla shook her head and handed the phone over to her girlfriend to read it the texts.

“So he was under the impression that it was a date of sorts with you.” Laura relaxed a bit. "And your Mother….”

“Had to have been in on it.”

"You don't know that for sure." 

"Cupcake, it's my Mother. She knows the Armitage's personally, we all sat at the same table tonight, _and_ he's under the impression that I'm free to date. Of course she's in on it. That's just too many coincidences."

But _why_? That was the million dollar question. Of which she could possibly get from J.P., if he knew that is.

_Carmilla (10:26pm): I think you’re a nice guy, J.P., but I’m a bit in shock at the moment. I had no idea I was being set up on a date. I don’t even know WHY we were set up in the first place..._

_J.P. (10:27pm): Oh. If I had known that you weren’t aware of the situation, I would have informed you right away. I hate the thought of tricking someone into something. Especially something such as a relationship. I do hope you’ll accept my apology._

_Carmilla (10:27): It’s alright, it’s not your fault._

She couldn’t really find it in herself to be mad at him now that this new information was revealed. 

_J.P. Armitage (10:28pm): Has your mother tried to set you up on dates before this?_

_Carmilla (10:28pm): No. This is the first time. And it’s even more confusing that she tried to set me up with a guy. She knows I’m gay. And I have a girlfriend..._

_J.P. Armitage (10:29pm): Oh my goodness! I’m terribly sorry, Carmilla. Now I feel even worse._

_Carmilla (10:30pm): Now I’m sure you can imagine why I was so caught off guard._

_J.P. Armitage (10:30pm): It seems there is much we both don’t know..._

Just then, an idea came to her. It was something that would hopefully get them both more answers, if gone about the right way.

_Carmilla (10:31pm): I think it’s time I go undercover._


	24. Day 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, have something to temporarily distract you from the shitstorm that was episode 30.

Turns out “going undercover” was a lot less awesome than it sounded. As Carmilla stood there in front of her Mother in her swanky hotel room, watching as she packed up her things, all she wanted to do was reveal that she knew she’d been set up with J.P. and demand answers. But last night, all three of them had decided it was best for her to play it cool, no matter how much it sucked. While she was here, J.P. was over at his father’s office, doing the same. He was on better terms with his parents then Carmilla was with her Mother, so he was more likely get more information than her. Hopefully between the two of them, they could piece together what this was all about and nip it in the bud before things got any further. Though she had to admit that there was a small part of her that didn’t want to know. Whatever her Mother was up to...usually she was much better off not knowing. But this time her shady activities concerned her, so this time she couldn’t convince herself that ignorance is bliss.

“Please take a seat, Carmilla. You know how I hate it when you hover.”

Yeah, being a spy was more fun in the movies. She had no clue how to go about actually getting the information that she wanted while making the conversation seem natural. They never really talked actually, she was always just told what to do and wasn’t supposed to question it. And on the few times she had questioned it, she’d paid for it. God, she was not cut out for this. A poker face was something that she was not naturally equipped with, but she did her best.

“So...is there a specific reason why you wanted to see me?” Carmilla asked as she took a seat in a nearby chair.

“Yes.” The woman said, folding a shirt and placing it in her suitcase. “I was hoping to catch up a little. You’ve been gone two weeks, and you left without a goodbye or even a notice that you were going away.”

“It was a bit of a last minute decision.”

Which was true.

“Besides, it’s not like I went to another country or anything.” She continued, focusing on keeping her voice strong and steady. “We’re not that far from home.”

“Well, you’re certainly lucky the event was here in Graz.”

In other words: if she had been anywhere else, the punishment would have been severe.

“Speaking of…” Her Mother closed the top of her suitcase and zipped it closed. “...you seemed to have made a friend last night.”

Well, turns out she didn’t have to do the work and try to bring it up in conversation.

“Yeah, J.P. is cool. We really hit it off.”

Carmilla didn’t miss the upward twitch of her Mother’s lips before she made her way around the bed. “Good. The Armitage’s are old friends, and I think it would be... _beneficial_...to you to befriend young Jeremiah.”

Beneficial? Certainly her Mother wasn’t talking about it being beneficial for Carmilla’s well-being, seeing as she never cared about it before. Yes, there was most definitely something up.

“I’m trying. He’s coming over later for dinner, so we can get to know each other more.”

This time, her Mother didn’t try to conceal her smile. “Splendid.”

Next door, Laura sat herself down on the edge of the bed in Perry’s room, watching television as the redhead finished packing her things and flittering around the room, making sure that nothing would be left behind or anything was out of place. Even though she had those distractions, the blonde couldn’t help but think of her girlfriend in the next room. She was alone with her Mother, and that set her on edge. She felt guilty that she was just waiting for something bad to come out of that, but the last person to be trusted was Ms. Karnstein. Laura didn’t know how Carmilla lived with the woman for seventeen years, being talked down to, emotionally and physically abused. She had only been around the woman a few times in the last two weeks, but that was enough for a lifetime. Seeing someone being mistreated like that made her blood boil, especially when she could do nothing to help but do her best and comfort Carmilla in the aftermath. Thankfully, there were no signs of anything bad happening in the next room, so she tried to let herself relax a bit and focus on the soap opera that was currently on TV.

It was in German, so unfortunately she couldn’t understand what was being said between characters, but after about ten minutes, she got the jist of what was happening. The single father character was trying his hardest to make his daughter’s birthday special, but things always seemed to have a wrench thrown in there to screw it up. At one point, he was crying in his car, looking at a picture of himself, his daughter, and a woman (who Laura guessed was supposed to be his deceased wife). It made her heart hurt, because it was so much like her own life, and she really wasn’t prepared for that. For the past two weeks, she’s done her best to push certain thoughts and feelings to the back of her head. Missing her Dad was one of those that crept up at some point every day, but she wouldn’t allow herself to dwell. She knows it’s not healthy to bottle up her emotions, but she doesn’t want to burden Carmilla. The girl already has enough going on, she doesn’t need extra stress put on her. But at some point, she knew that she would eventually burst from the pressure. Especially with Father’s Day coming up soon.

But no doubt that she would have broken down so much sooner if she’d been bought by a creepy fifty year old man that would no doubt only use her purely for his own satisfaction. Maybe that’s why she tried so hard to keep her emotions in check. She was being taken care of by a sweet girl who has only ever wanted genuine companionship, never once making her do something that she didn’t want to, and made her feel things that she never thought she’d feel. Carmilla made it so easy to forget that she was a slave, because she wasn’t treated like one. When it was just the two of them, they were just Carmilla and Laura, not Master and slave. And if she really thought about it, she’s accepted her fate for the most part, only because she’s in such good hands. But that doesn’t mean the situation isn’t messed up. God, it is. Especially because she doesn’t have the answer of how she’s even here to begin with. She arrived in Styria to check out Silas...and then boom, her life changed forever. A black bag had been thrown over her head, and as much as she tried to fight, it was useless up against multiple burly men. Next thing she knew, she was at the Auction House being sold.

Like she had told Carmilla, she believed that everything happens for a reason, and for whatever reason, Fate brought them together, and feelings blossomed like it was always meant to happen. It’s crazy to think about, but her heart told her that she loved the girl in the next room. There were moments where she wanted to say it so badly, but she wasn’t sure if Carmilla would be ready to hear it so soon. Hell, she didn’t even know if she was truly ready for herself to say it out loud. Admitting her feelings in her head was so much easier than saying them out loud to another person. The logical side of her said it was too soon, but her heart was telling her to go for it. She’s never felt so pulled in different directions by two sides of her before. Things had always been very black and white, were now gray. And in this new, gray world, dealing with all the shitty laws and shitty people...seemed worth it. They were in it together. Yes, she would rather be free, but considering where she could be right now, things for her were actually pretty damn good. She just wished she could see or talk to her Dad. His smile is something that she’s always loved, and his voice soothed her more than anything else. Then there was his laugh. Breathy and deep.

Just then, there was a quiet knock on the door, interrupting Laura’s thoughts. Her heart leapt back to life, knowing who was on the other side. Perry was closest, so she answered it, opening it wide so Carmilla could step through. There was a wave of relief that washed over her then, seeing that her girlfriend was fine and not hurt. Standing up, she returned the cute smile that was on Carmilla’s face, and automatically fell into the familiar embrace when she stepped close enough. There was just something about that shy grin and her warm, brown eyes that sucked her in. Lips found hers, and it was so natural and easy to let herself go and reciprocate. It only lasted a few more seconds though, as Perry cleared her throat to remind them of her presence.

“Okay, lovebirds...I will be checking out in a few minutes, so you’ll have to find your own makeout spot.”

Laura blushed furiously and closed her eyes, hiding her face in the crook of Carmilla’s neck in embarrassment.

“We should be going anyway.” Carmilla said, kissing Laura’s forehead before pulling away and taking her hand.

“Are you two coming back with us to the mansion today?” The redhead asked as she set her bag near the door.

“No.” Carmilla answered. “We’re actually staying here a bit longer.”

“Oh.” The woman sounded disappointed. “Well, you two kids have fun. And be safe.”

“We know, we know.”

As much as Carmilla balked, Laura knew that she liked and appreciated that someone cared about her and missed her, like Perry obviously did. Their relationship wasn’t the absolute best because of Perry being under Ms. Karnstein’s thumb, but it was the closest thing the girl had to a normal parental figure. Though “normal” seemed to have flown out the window a long time ago.

“How’d it go?” Laura asked as soon as they were shouting distance away from the hotel rooms.

“Good, I guess. Didn’t really get much info, other than she’s happy that J.P. and I are getting along. She says he’s beneficial to me. Whatever that’s supposed to mean.”

“Hm. Does his family have something that your Mother doesn’t?”

Carmilla shrugged and interlocked their fingers as they made their way out of the hotel and down the sidewalk. “My Mother is one of the richest people in the country. If she wanted something, she could have it…”

Getting into Carmilla’s car, Laura let her head fall back and hit the headrest. They seemed to be back at square one. Laura really hoped that J.P. had gotten further when talking to his father. About twenty minutes after they got back to the apartment, a text from J.P. came in, saying that he was on his way over. Laura tidied up the kitchen and Carmilla straightened up the living room, making it presentable for a guest. Ten more minutes later, there was a knock on the apartment door, and since she was the closest, Laura walked over and answered it.

“Hello, there. You must be Laura.” He said before sticking out his hand for her to shake.

She only paused a moment before raising her hand to meet him halfway, gently squeezing his.

”And you must be the guy who kissed my girlfriend.” Laura said, raising an eyebrow.

Thankfully, by the way she had said it, J.P. knew that the shorter girl wasn’t actually angry.

“For which I am still dreadfully sorry.” He then put his other hand on top of both of theirs and spoke in a lower voice. “But can you blame me?”

Their hands released, and the blonde stepped away from the door with a playful smile, letting him into the apartment. Laura wasn’t one to hold grudges against people, especially under these circumstances. He’d been under the wrong impression about Carmilla, and so joking about it now was their way of acknowledging it and moving past it.

“No, I really can’t.” She replied, closing the door and gazing fondly at Carmilla who was now looking down at her cell phone.

“Hey, what kind of pizza you want?” She asked him.

“Supreme, please.”

She then pressed the call button and ordered the supreme for J.P., and pepperoni and sausage for her and Laura. As they waited for their order to arrive, they all sat down in the living room, Laura and Carmilla on the sofa, and him in the chair. Carmilla relayed everything her Mother had said, which was basically diddly squat, then it was J.P.’s turn.

“He said something pretty similar.” J.P. said, running his fingers over his chin scruff. “He was happy that we got along, and last night my mother had trouble containing her giddiness. There is definitely something in it for them, and I think it’s more than just the potential for grandbabies.”

Carmilla frowned at that. She couldn’t imagine much else that was less appealing that kids. And she always found it incredibly creepy how some parents pressured their children to procreate. Like, fuck, adoption is a thing. We have too many people on the planet already. Also not having kids is an option, but some let themselves be controlled by other people’s wants. And yeah, Carmilla knew that she really didn’t have any room to complain about dictatorial parents when she couldn’t seem to escape the clutches of her own, but that was something she had to address at a later time. Right now her main goal was to figure out what the Hell is going on, and hopefully it wasn't anything too Earth-shattering. They could sit around all day coming up with conspiracy theories about what was possibly happening, but at the end of the day none of that would be cold hard facts. She needs the truth. They all do. And damn it, she was going to get it somehow.


	25. Day 18

Laura stiffened on top of Carmilla as her orgasm hit, burying her face into her shoulder, letting out a shaky moan. She refrained from sinking her teeth into the fair skin so close to her mouth and reached up a hand to the headboard for something to hold onto as Carmilla grabbed her hips, pulling her forward into another thrust. The girl below her let out a grunt as she followed suit, lifting her hips up and dragging her nails across her girlfriend’s back. Laura rolled her hips slowly, prolonging both of their highs before they became too sensitive and had to stop. The blonde sighed contently as she let all of her muscles relax, and collapsed onto Carmilla. This was only the second time they’ve done this, but they were already pretty good at it. It hadn't taken long for either of them to get the hang of it, especially Laura, who was on top taking control of the whole thing. Carmilla was the more subdued of the two when it came to this level of intimacy. She seemed more than happy to give Laura the reigns, and the blonde guessed it because either she was more comfortable in the submissive position, or because she wanted to make sure that she was not pushing Laura do anything she didn't want to do (and her being on the bottom insured that).

They laid that way for a few more minutes before Laura kissed Carmilla's neck and rolled off of her, but not going too far, pulling the cover up over them and instantly pulling her into her arms. She rubbed her back as she enjoyed the tingling feeling all throughout her body. Laura was still so surprised that she could feel this way. She felt it from the tips of her toes to the tips of her fingers, and she wondered if this is how it felt for everyone. Sex had always been something that was put on a pedestal of sorts by her peers and the media, she was afraid that when she actually got to finally experience it, it wouldn't be as great as they had let on. But it was one of the best thing she's ever experienced. The reason why it was so good though, is because she shared it with Carmilla, who had just about as much experience as she did, if not less. And she only knew that because of an offhanded comment that Carmilla had made. To say that that Laura was surprised was an understatement. Even though she's known from the beginning that Carmilla didn't have any friends, she still expected her to have some bit of experience in that department. Because, really, look at her. She’s gorgeous.

Don’t get her wrong though, she’s glad it was this way. That's what made this all the more special, is that they shared firsts like this together. And if this is only what grinding on each other felt like, she couldn’t imagine what it’s going to be like without any clothes on and giving a hundred percent of herself to Carmilla. It was something that Laura craved, but something that neither of them were quite ready for, which was completely okay. What they were doing now was more than satisfactory. To be honest, it felt like a bonus to Laura. Their relationship was deep, being able to talk about emotional things, and romantic. Even if that was all Carmilla was willing to give her, it would be more than enough. That connection was most important. But now, being able to express their emotions in a new way that was pleasurable for both of them? Yeah, definitely the cherry on top of the sundae. Laura was pulled out of her thoughts by Carmilla’s lips on her cheek, and she smiled as her girlfriend sat up and hovered over her, placing quick kisses anywhere she could. It caused Laura to giggle, loving how playful Carmilla is.

But as usual, their shenanigans were interrupted by a quiet buzz from the cell phone on the nightstand. Both girls groaned, and Carmilla let her head hand in defeat for a few seconds, only to return her lips to Laura’s skin, open-mouth kisses trailing down her neck, leaving a wet path down to her pulse point. This time Laura groaned for an entirely different reason. If her girlfriend kept it up, they would be engaging in another grinding session. Which actually sounded great, and God, made her feel like the horny teenager stereotype. But at least now she understood it. Threading her fingers through Carmilla’s hair, she let the girl continue for just a few more seconds before gently pushing her back. She leaned up and gave her one last kiss before scooting back on the bed until she turned around and got off on the other side. If she hadn’t of stopped then, they definitely would have most definitely have forgotten the phone and lost themselves in each other. But she didn’t want another unexpected visit from someone because of ignoring messages. So, she made her way over to the bathroom, in need of splashing some cold water on her face to calm down. When she exited a minute later, Carmilla was laying on her back, looking at her cell phone.

“Everything okay?” She asked.

Carmilla nodded and handed her the phone, and she read through the recent texts. She was glad to see it was J.P., especially since they hadn’t heard from him in a couple days.

_J.P. Armitage (1:22pm): I was going through my contacts this morning and realized that I know a guy that may be able to hack into my father’s computer._

_J.P. Armitage (1:22pm): I’m going to have him see if he can find anything that ties him to your Mother, so maybe we can finally figure out what’s going on._

_Carmilla (1:23pm): Just be careful, I don’t have to tell you that shit is illegal. And keep me posted._

_J.P. Armitage (1:24pm): Will do. Talk to you soon._

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Laura asked, concerned for J.P. and his friend.

“It may be the only way we’ll get any answers.” Carmilla replied. “I don’t like illegal activities either, but what other choice do we have at this point?”

Laura had to admit that they were right. The parents obviously were not going to tell them why they were paired together, and to hopefully get a leg-up in this situation, some scheming had to be done. Now there was nothing to do but wait and hope that something is found to clue them in. Once she sat the phone back down on the nightstand, Carmilla wasted no time in wrapping her arms around her middle and pulling her back into bed, landing straddling her hips. She took her hands and interlocked their fingers, and they both sat there, smiling at each other.

“So...what were you wanting to do for lunch?”

Laura barely thought about it before replying. “Pizza.”

Carmilla half groaned, half laughed. “We’ve have pizza like every other day. How are you not tired of it by now?”

“Because it’s amazing.”

“True, but if you keep having it so often you’ll eventually get tired of it, and it will lose it’s amazingness.”

The blonde sighed. “Fine. What do you want?”

“I could go for some Chinese.”

Laura puckered her lips, thinking about that suggestion. “Alright, if we must.”

“Don’t sound so excited.” Carmilla teased.

“Well it’s not pizza, but it will do.”

Rolling her eyes, the raven-haired girl sat up and kissed Laura’s cheek. “Want to go out and eat, or delivery?”

“Let’s go out. We’ve spent the last two days cooped up in the apartment.”

“As you wish.”

Both showered (separately), and put on some clean clothes before leaving their apartment hand in hand. Laura took the time to look around as they walked down the street. Usually she would focus on the architecture or what was in the storefronts, but today she watched the people. Maybe she hadn’t before because it made her uncomfortable, much like it was now. Most of the people on the street were men (though there were some women) who were dragging their slaves around on a leash. Not beside them, but behind them, like dogs expected to follow their master. Though following wasn’t a choice, if they fell behind even a little bit, the collar around their necks would pull them forward. Most of the time, they weren’t even treated as if they were there. It was such a stark difference in the way they were treated verses the way she was. She looked over to her left at Carmilla, who wasn’t paying attention. Her eyes were toward the sky, letting the nice, cool breeze hit her face full-on, making her hair whip around. Their hands joined in between them, swaying as they walked side by side.

The more she noticed others, the more they seemed to notice her, giving her a weird look as they passed. But at least she knew why. And if it weren’t for her collar, no one would know that she was a slave. Carmilla was treating her as her equal, and how sad was that that others noticed it and it put them off? She never really got out much when she was back home, and even then, she tried to ignore her surroundings long enough to get grocery shopping done (her only real outing activity). Now that she’s acknowledged it, there was no more ignoring it. And the more she couldn’t ignore it, the more she remembered pieces of what her dad told her about the slave culture years ago. Most owners have a sexual relationship with their slaves, but it’s something that is kept behind closed doors, or at certain exhibitions you could attend. And it was almost unheard of to have a romantic relationship with a slave. It wasn’t something that normally happened, behind closed doors and certainly not shown in public. It was seen as dirty, much like slaves were in general (Laura always thought that was bullshit. They were just people too). And most owners let them bathe, so she didn't know why it was a thing.

But here they were. Her and Carmilla’s relationship had naturally gone the romantic route early on, and here she was, proudly holding her hand in public. Hell, they had even kissed in public more times than she can recall in the time they’d been in Graz. She wondered if people had stared or gave them weird looks all those times. She didn’t know because she’d been so wrapped up in Carmilla and the excitement in exploring a new place to notice anything else. It broke her heart to think that they have most likely been looked down upon because they cared for one another, even though they were slave and owner. Love, in any form, should be a great thing to see. Maybe it was much too late to be thinking about this, but this sudden realization made her truly understand what her mom and dad had been fighting for. Yes, she always thought that slavery was bad, but for the most part, she was shielded from it, only knowing little details of what actually went on in the culture. And while she didn’t experience all the shitty things about it because Carmilla wasn’t like that, just being around other people in the world was becoming an education of itself.

The more she saw, the more sorrowful she became. Everyone deserved to have someone love them. Not be treated as an object that is only paid attention to when another person needs something. She wanted all her fellow slaves to have what she had with Carmilla. Heart-melting, playful, passionate love. Yes, love. If there was any doubt that what she felt before wasn’t love, it was long gone now. This thought almost sent Laura into tears, because God, she really just wanted to shout it from the rooftops. Because in this crappy world, she had found love. It may be in the most unorthodox way, but she still wouldn’t change it. Her mom’s words had been repeating in her head for weeks. Everything happens for a reason. Now more than ever, she needed to tell Carmilla how she felt. What had been holding her back before, that doubt that the girl may not feel the same way, at least not yet, was still there but not as strong. The way Carmilla treats her, plays with her, looks at her with that cute smirk, kisses her gently or roughly, holds her at night when they are falling asleep...or lets herself be held. Those are the things that make her think that it is more than possible that she feels the same way. Why Carmilla's holding back as well may be for the same reasons. It’s worth taking a chance to find out.

Right then, Laura made a promise to herself in her head. By the end of the night, she was going to tell Carmilla how she feels. And just as she finished that thought, she was led into a quaint Chinese restaurant. A short man’s eyes widened when he saw Carmilla and instantly rushed over. That’s happened a lot in their time in Graz. Laura knew that Ms. Karnstein was rich, powerful, and relatively well known in Austria, but she didn’t know that people would know who Carmilla was as well, especially since she had no part in her Mother’s company. But people knowing who she was turned out to be a major perk. They were treated like royalty almost, and it was nice. The man showed them to a booth in a quiet corner of the restaurant and immediately asked for their drink orders before they even sat down, and before he left to go get their drinks, he put two menus in front of them. Carmilla automatically handed over her phone that Laura had grown used to using by now. It translated in real time, that way Carmilla didn’t have to do it for her. It was a great time saver, and Laura was constantly impressed with technology, seeing as how her family couldn’t even dream of affording stuff like iPhones.

“Do you want an appetizer?” Carmilla asked.

“Only if you want.”

The girl rested her cheek on her hand, staring down at the menu. “Mini spring rolls sound okay?”

“Sure.”

Truthfully, she didn’t really register what her girlfriend was saying. Her mind was too busy, half contemplating when and how she was going to tell her that she loved her, and half trying to pick out what she wanted for lunch. She settled on fried noodles with shrimp before closing her menu and watching Carmilla, who was sitting across from her with a slight frown on her face and biting her bottom lip as she tried to decide what she wanted. She’s so cute. And dreamy. And hot...Laura thought as she remembered their earlier activities.

“I love-” Laura stopped herself before going any further, because no, she couldn’t do a love confession in a random restaurant, she just couldn’t. “Chinese food.”

Carmilla looked up and smiled at her like she hadn’t detected anything weird.

“I thought you loved pizza.” She teased.

Laura giggled nervously, trying to cover up how much she wanted to smack herself. Why did this have to be so difficult?


	26. Day 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Mention of self harm.
> 
> Also, I tentatively put an end-cap on this story, as you can see above. I want to try and get around 40 chapters, give or take a few. But I just wanted to give you all an estimate of how long this story will be since people have been asking me for a while, and frankly I was getting tired of looking at the questionmark.

Okay, so Laura’s promise to tell Carmilla that she loved her didn’t exactly come to fruition. When she almost said it in the Chinese restaurant, it had scared her off. Since then, an entire week has passed and there hasn’t really felt like a perfect moment to say it. It was so frustrating. She wanted to make it special and romantic, but she couldn’t do anything without Carmilla knowing about it. If she had her way, an evening picnic up in Schlossburg would be perfect. When the crowds of tourists were leaving, and it could be just them, sharing food and watching the sunset. Then they could watch the stars for a little while before she’d look deep into her eyes and whisper her love confession. Yeah, it was a bit of a cheesy daydream, but she was a fan of cheese. The romantic sentiment and the food. Thankfully, Carmilla seemed to be rather oblivious to Laura’s internal struggle. She didn’t want the other girl to think that there was anything wrong, because there wasn’t, she was just caught up in her thoughts, surely overthinking this entire thing. But she couldn’t help it. She wanted it to be perfect.

She couldn’t count how many times she’d pictured the moment in her head, Where they would be or what she would say. Each time she thought about it, her speech seemed to get longer and longer in her head, and she wondered if it would just be better saying it in one of their quiet moments, like when they were lying in bed. But still, Laura ended up not saying anything. She was at least distracted part of the time. Carmilla took her exploring, and today they came upon Basilika Mariatrost, a beautiful church thirty-some minutes away from their apartment. It was worth the two-hundred step climb to get to the actual building, the whole thing a piece of artwork. Two front towers stood tall, and were able to see from quite a ways away. Also due to it’s bright color, which she really liked because it was her favorite. Yellow. It had white accents and a dome in the middle. And on it's smaller surrounding buildings, they had the signature orange roofs that Graz is known for. To only add to its majesticness, it sat atop a hill by itself, like a castle. It was almost as if it was calling to her, so she just had to explore.

Unfortunately, for such a fancy place, she had to be put on a leash. Carmilla had wanted leave when they learned that, but Laura convinced her to let them stay. They had already come that far, no sense in turning back now. She could stand being on the leash because Carmilla never yanked her around, unlike what she witnessed around her daily. In fact, Carmilla barely even held onto her end of the leash at all, hating every minute of it. Trying to soothe her girlfriend’s irritation, she pulled her over to the side and leaned up, kissing her on the lips. Her hands ran slowly down Carmilla’s arms, feeling the tension in them slowly dissipate. With one more peck, Laura pulled away and rubbed their noses together. It was her way of trying to say that it was only temporary. That once they were outside, the leash could be taken off. But until then, it wasn’t something worth getting mad over, ruining their outing. Leaning forward, Carmilla kissed her forehead, then nodded as if she understood what she was trying to say. Taking her hand, they continued looking around.

Laura loved that they didn’t need words to communicate effectively. It saved them from potentially having someone eavesdropping on their conversation. Even though their exchange only lasted maybe ten seconds, when Laura took a look around, there were multiple people staring at them. She did her best to ignore them and focus on enjoying their surroundings. She didn’t realized until later that the stares may not just be because they were slave and owner, but two girls kissing in a church. Either way, she did her best to ignore other people and focus on what was in front of her, which was a beautiful building. Intricate artwork covering the ceiling in a mural, white pillars towering above them, the dome sprouting up in the middle of the room, letting light in its circular windows, and a long path in front of them, passing two rows of dark wooden pews on either side, leading to the alter. Laura’s never really seen anything like it before. Which is part of the reason why she'd let herself be talked into looking at a school in Europe. Just so much history here everywhere you looked, and there wasn’t really anything like it back home.

Carmilla had a hard time taking in what was in front of her because she loved seeing her girlfriend look around with wide eyes, mesmerized. Sure, the church was pretty much a work of art, but it couldn’t hold a candle to Laura. Her bright mind, curious nature, and passion to explore captivated her and made it hard to look away. She just loved her tiny adorable girlfriend so much. The only thing that would make it better was to have her off of the leash. The blonde didn’t seem that bothered by it, but it enraged Carmilla. Laura isn’t a dog. She’d like to punch whoever’s idea it was in the first place, and then punch the lawmakers that decided to let businesses decide whether or not they would enforce the wearing of leashes in their establishments. Wearing a fucking collar was bad enough. That’s why she liked to stay in the apartment so much. It was just the two of them, and nobody was forcing anyone to do something that they don’t want to do. Though this was the first place they had been so far that had the leash rule. Pretty good odds for all the museums they’ve visited in the last three weeks. But still.

She tried to push those thoughts to the back of her head. It would only make her angry, and there was really nothing she could do with that anger. Complaining about the rule wouldn’t make it disappear, even for a Karnstein. And it wasn’t like they were staying there for any real amount of time for it to matter anyway. Forty-five minutes after they arrived, they walked out of the church, and as soon as they hit ground, feet leaving the last step of the stairs, Carmilla reached up and unhooked the leash from Laura’s collar. The blonde immediately leaned into her and she wrapped her arms around Laura as they walked back to her car, kissing her temple before they parted and got in. Turning back on her phone (which had been shut off for the last hour in respect before entering the church), she checked for any messages or missed phone calls. There was only one text, a message from J.P., asking her to call him when they were free. Carmilla raised her eyebrow, wondering if he had any new information since the last time they had spoken a few days ago. That would have to wait a little while though.

The drive back to their apartment was mainly Carmilla listening to Laura go on and on about how beautiful the church had been, describing things that she’d seen too. She didn’t mind though, listening to her girlfriend ramble was probably one of her favorite things. Especially when she winded herself from barely taking time to breathe in between sentences. She only stopped rehashing their outing when Carmilla stopped and got them burgers on the way, and Laura was more occupied with eating her fries. When a few minutes had passed, she looked back to Laura in the passenger seat and held back a giggle. The blonde had grains of salt sticking to the side of her mouth. When she came a stop, pulling up to their apartment building, she turned off the engine and reached over to gently wipe them away. Laura smiled back at her, her opposite cheek puffed up, like she was a squirrel hoarding a nut in there. God she was so fucking adorkable, it was almost too much for Carmilla sometimes. Almost. Once they finally made it back up to their apartment, they crashed on the living room sofa, scrolling through Netflix as they chowed down on their burgers.

They were done with their lunch and on their second episode of Buffy when Carmilla remembered about J.P.’s message. She immediately paused the show and called him, and he answered on the third ring.

“Hey.” He said, though not with his usual lively tone.

“Hey, what’s up? Find anything on Mommy Dearest?”

He hesitated before answering. “Well…yes.”

“Uh oh.” Carmilla replied, her tone now matching his. “That doesn’t sound very good.”

“Are you two home? I think this would be a much better conversation to have in person.”

Carmilla and Laura exchanged a worried look.

“Yeah, we’re here.”

“Good. Good. I can be over in a few minutes if that is alright.”

“Yeah, totally. Come on over.”

“See you in a few, then.” He said shortly, then hung up without a goodbye.

“That wasn’t weird.” Laura said sarcastically.

Carmilla let out a humorless laugh. “I guess we’re in for a treat.”

Both girls brushed their teeth and tidied up before J.P. arrived just ten minutes later. He was dressed in a plain grey v-neck with white khaki shorts and matching grey boat shoes. And instead of his hair being parted and lightly gelled, it was pushed straight back and a little out of order, but still looked good. To top it off, he had a bit more facial hair than usual, like he hadn’t shaved in at least three days. This was the most casual they had ever seen him.

“So, you didn’t sound like yourself on the phone. What’s going on?” Carmilla spoke first, as they all took their familiar seats in the living room.

“Alright, well…” J.P. started, running his hand through his hair and leaning forward in his seat. “After a few days, my friend was able to hack into my father’s office computer. There was so much junk to sift through, that took a couple more days, but he finally found some things. First, there were e-mails between our parents. It was mostly hollow stuff at the beginning. Like “how are you?”, “haven’t talked to you in a while” kinda things. Polite catching up. Then the conversation switched to asking about each other’s kids. Your Mother gave the basics on you, and my father did the same with me. They talked back and forth like that for a little while before my father complained that I hadn’t had a girlfriend in years...and that seemed to give you Mother an idea.”

Carmilla raised an eyebrow. “That’s never good.”

J.P. nodded. “Remember when I told you that there was an upcoming anti-slavery group that was going to try and recruit as many powerful people as possible to push the movement forward?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, it turns out that my parents are huge supporters of a new group trying to do the opposite. They want to keep the laws in place for as long as they can.”

“Okay...but what does that have to do with the e-mails?” Laura asked, confused.

J.P. cleared his throat. “After my friend found those e-mails on my father’s computer and showed them to me, I may or may not have decided to sneak into his office after hours. I dug through his desk and file cabinets over the course of two nights, almost getting caught by the way, and finally I found a signed agreement between both my parents and your Mother.”

“Do I even want to know?” Carmilla asked, her heart beating hard.

“Probably not.”

“Wait.” Laura interrupted. “I get how you got into the computer, but how did you get into his desk? I would imagined sensitive documents would be locked away.”

“Oh, they were.”

“So you broke in.”

“Yes. Bobby pin and all.”

“Where’d you learn that?”

“Internet.”

Carmilla, though impressed, steered the conversation back on track. “Okay.” She sighed. “What did you find?”

“A contract. It states that if they get you and I together, their companies will merge. Basically, they are powerful in their own right by themselves, but when combined…”

“That’s a shit ton of money to fund their cause.”

“Right.”

“Alright, I get that part, but what exactly do you mean by getting us “together”?”

He bit his lip for a moment before releasing it and rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “Marriage.”

There was a full minute of silence in the apartment before Carmilla finally spoke.

“Marriage.” She said softly, with a frown on her face as if having trouble trying to process.

“That seemed more of the agreement between my father and your Mother, but I’m guessing my mother probably only agreed to it because she wants me to finally settle down, and this would guarantee it.”

“Finally?” Carmilla looked at J.P. with wide eyes. “You’re only twenty-four for God’s sake!”

All he could do was shrug.

“They think this would guarantee it? My Mother knows I’m gay, she can’t guarantee shit.”

“Apparently that little tidbit didn’t come up in any of the e-mail conversations that I read through.”

Carmilla’s chest tightened with anger. “Yeah, she’s one to leave out important details to get what she wants.”

“So what’s going to happen?” Laura spoke for the first time in a few minutes, her voice so quiet it was almost inaudible.

“Nothing. That’s what.” Carmilla replied instantly. “This bullshit has already gone too far.”

Sure she knew that her Mother was a bad person who manipulated people for her gain and abused her own daughter like she was no more than a piece of trash, but for some reason she hadn’t expected something like this. Contractually making a deal with someone to marry her off to a guy she just met to further her financial status and horrible cause? That was just beyond anything Carmilla could have even made up in her own head. And how her Mother thought she would apparently just not be gay anymore was completely foolish. She hadn’t seemed that upset when she’d told her years ago, though it’s not like they hung out and talked at all, so maybe she actually had taken it hard and Carmilla just hadn’t seen it. But if she wasn’t okay with it, why did she let Carmilla choose a girl for a slave? Just another thing that made no sense to her, but her Mother probably would pull a reason out of her ass if asked about it. That was something else entirely. Could she confront her Mother about it? God she was so mad right now she probably had the bravery to. However, no telling what would happen.

Carmilla let out a shaky breath. Her skin tingled. She really wanted to cut. This was the first time in weeks that she felt the need to harm herself, but it was inevitable that the urge would come back, especially when her Mother was involved. Excusing herself from Laura and J.P., she made her way into their bedroom bathroom and closed the door behind her. Her heart was beating heavily, thumping loud in her ears, and she tried to take deep breaths to calm herself down. Pacing back and forth in the small area wasn’t helping either, she wanted to run. Run until her chest felt like it would burst and she could breathe anymore. Rubbing her hands together, she finally made herself sit down on the closed toilet seat. What was she going to do? They couldn’t stay in Graz forever, and everything she owned was back at the mansion. One thing was for certain: she wasn’t going to live there anymore. This was the last straw. She could deal with the lack of love and abuse from her Mother, but she couldn’t deal with being treated like an object, bartered without her knowledge.

She hadn’t noticed that she’d been digging her thumb nail into her wrist until it broke the skin and a small drop of blood bubbled to the surface. Wiping it away, she ignored the ache in her upper thighs, begging for a razor to slice through the skin there, taking her mind off of everything just for a little bit. But she couldn’t. She’s gone so long without resorting to that, she doesn’t want to fall off the wagon now. If she let herself get lost again, she would have to tell Laura. Her self harm, at least her past with cutting, was something that she wasn’t ready to share just yet, and the worst way for her girlfriend to find out would be to have her walk in and see her in the act. No, she had to deal with this like a normal person. She had to let herself be upset. Maybe punch something. Then go and try to resolve the issue. No matter what happened, she would still have Laura and J.P., and that’s really all she needs at this point. So then, it was final. She would go back to the mansion, confront her Mother to hopefully get more answers, pack her things, and leave. Where they would go...well, her and Laura would have to talk and figure that out. But anywhere would be better than where her Mother was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to see some pictures of Basilika Mariatrost, I posted a photoset on my Tumblr (ceceash.tumblr.com).


	27. Day 26

Carmilla woke up the next day in the middle of the afternoon. She had tossed and turned all night, not being able to stop thinking about the situation her Mother put her in, and she only finally fell asleep due to mental exhaustion very early in the morning. Or late, depending on how you looked at it. She was just grateful that Laura had not asked her a lot of questions when she’d found her in the bathroom. J.P. had left to give them some space, and her girlfriend just pulled her into the bedroom where they laid there and held onto each other in silence. It felt like they did that so often, and frankly they kind of did. Not that it was a bad thing. She liked that there didn’t need to be anything to fill the quiet moments. They could just _be_ , and that was more than enough. Overall, it has been an emotional three weeks since Laura came into her life. Three weeks that she wouldn’t trade for anything. There wasn’t a time in her life that she could recall ever being this happy, which was kind of sad if she really thought about it. So she didn’t. What’s happened in the past should stay there. It’s time for her to move forward. Starting with deciding what they were going to do.

She rubbed her eyes and yawned to herself before stretching her body out across the mattress. Laura wasn’t in the bed with her, but she could hear movement out in the living room. Sitting up, she groaned. Still tired and her head hurt, but she made herself get up and get in the shower. Taking her time, Carmilla, in a strange way, felt like she was shedding the old her off and revealing a new girl. The girl she’s always wanted to be, but never did anything to make it happen. Never did she think that she could stand up to her Mother, move out of the mansion and out of her grasp, and start a life for herself. A life for her and Laura. She wanted to know what it actually felt like to live free of worry when the next bout of abuse would be, free to make her own decisions about her own life, and free to be with who she wanted, not someone that her Mother wants her to be with for her own gain. She can’t wait to be completely free. Sure, being in Graz was to an extent, but home wasn’t far away and neither was her Mother. And as much as she loves that she’s found a friend in J.P. here, Austria just isn’t the place for her anymore. As beautiful as it is, unfortunately it’s tarnished.

As she turned off the shower, a thought popped into her head. Carmilla had an idea of where they could go, but nothing would be set in stone until her and Laura discussed it. Speaking of, she missed her tiny ball of cuteness. Drying her hair fast and dressing, she made her way out of the bathroom and out to the living room, where the blonde was laying on the sofa watching TV.

“Hey.” Laura said, smiling up at her.

“Hey.” She replied, sinking into the space between Laura and the back of the couch.

Her girlfriend immediately sunk back into her embrace, putting her hands over the ones on her stomach. “Still tired?”

She nodded into Laura’s back.

“You should try and get more rest then.”

She groaned. “Yeah, but then my sleeping schedule will be even more messed up.”

The blonde turned her head and kissed Carmilla’s forehead. “I made you a sandwich. It’s in the fridge when you want it.”

“Mm, thank you.”

Carmilla kissed Laura’s shoulder before getting up off the couch and retrieving her lunch. Which really by now was dinner. Either way, she unwrapped it from the plastic that preserved it and joined Laura back on the couch. They sat in silence as she ate, but she could tell that Laura was itching to ask her something. Actually, the girl had been acting slightly off all week, but she figured Laura would tell her what was on her mind eventually. She didn’t want to pry. Maybe that’s why Laura had been quiet last night, she was waiting for Carmilla to speak up about what was on her mind. Unfortunately, that was a conversation that they needed to have, no matter how much she really didn’t want to have it. The shock and anger of her situation was still simmering just beneath the surface, and she didn’t want to accidentally take it out on Laura of all people. So, as she sat back into the couch, she thought about how she was going to start the conversation. But of course, the thought of maybe she was overthinking it came to her mind. That happened a lot with Laura, for whatever reason. Finishing her sandwich, she brought her attention to the TV.

There, she was surprised to see a show that she’d only seen once (before she'd seen enough and angrily turned it off). It was a modern knock-off of FRIENDS. For the most part, it was basically the same. The two apartments across from each other in New York City, six main characters that dominated each episode, three women and three men. The thing was that the women were the men’s slaves. The Ross character owned the Rachel character, the Chandler character owned the Monica character, and the Joey character owned the Phoebe character. If that wasn’t enough to rile a person up, there was the fact that the men got the nice, bigger apartment and the women were exiled to the small, crappy apartment across the hall, locked in unless one of the men let them out. The show followed the three men through their “comedic” dating lives that never quite went right, and it would have at least one sex scene per episode with one of their slaves. From what she’d heard, apparently it could get pretty rough, even violent. The one episode she had seen wasn’t even funny, and just the information that the men basically held the girls captive and raped them, made her sick to her stomach.

“Why are you watching this?” Carmilla finally asked, a frown on her face.

Laura sat up, flipping the channel instantly, landing on a cartoon. “I don’t know. I guess…” She looked down at the floor like she was ashamed. “I was just curious.”

She could understand that. Laura had told her that she mostly grew up without a TV once shows like this started popping up and gaining popularity. But Carmilla considered her lucky, not having been exposed to all of the things that came along with the slave culture. There were countless more scripted shows with similar themes to this horrid knock-off, but maybe even worse were the reality shows. Ones where they would follow a real life person or a couple during their slave shopping, trying to pick one out, as if it were the same as trying to decide what house to buy. That show was based in a store setting, rather than an auction house. At the stores, people could try out different slaves before buying them (or not). It was how the more well-off people bought slaves, rather than the uber rich like her Mother, who went to the auctions. Once the person or couple chose three slaves they were interested in, they had three nights to try them all out and see who they wanted to actually buy. And since the regulations on what could be shown on TV had been changed in the more recent years (they figured if you didn’t want your kid to see something, you could just block the particular show or channel), there were fairly graphic scenes of them having sex.

Carmilla had never understood the obsession people seemed to have with knowing what others did in the privacy of their own bedrooms. But even shows like that were fairly tame. Other reality shows that were geared for families to watch, followed “famous” mothers or fathers and their plethora of children. Ones like those featured slaves, but never had any sexual content. Then there were shows that were racy. Mostly consisting of competition shows where the prize was a slave that was a hot buff man or sexy woman, and they’d set up cameras in a couple’s suite and let you see what happened after the competition was over. Most of it was under the covers and since they only had limited time for shows on air, the episodes with the uncut sex scenes were available on the channel's website for anyone with a wifi connection to see. Then on the extreme end, there were shows dedicated to BDSM and how to do it safely, by putting _everything_ on display. It was basically porn on primetime. The worst shows though, contained violence against slaves. That, over all the other programs, Carmilla hated the most, even if they were few and far between. It made it seem like it was an okay, normal thing to do. Fuck that. She only vaguely remembered the days where curse words were bleeped, genitals were blurred out, anything too violent wasn’t shown. That just didn’t exist anymore.

Though one day J.P. was talking about all the things that the new organization was going to put in their mission statement, and this was one of the main things. Making television appropriate again. Especially for children, because seeing all these explicit shows harms them in the long run, making them less empathetic and more violent. No wonder so many people are crappy humans to one another these days. They’ve been so desensitized by what they see on TV on a daily basis, that it’s become the norm. Carmilla would have lost all hope in humanity by now if she hadn’t met J.P. and heard about the new up and coming organization. Yeah, the polls say that the population around the world is about 50/50 on the slave issue, but those numbers don’t matter when people don’t go out and vote to stop shit from happening. The problem is, people blog about it or retweet something, and think they have done their job. Yeah, maybe someone on the opposite side of the issue sees it and it changes their mind, but it’s not the same as going to rallies and registering to vote. That’s another thing that made Carmilla mad as hell. Unfortunately, she hasn’t been old enough to vote until now. There were elections coming up relatively soon, but she was hoping to be out of Austria by the end of the week...

“I just don’t understand how it got to be like this.” Laura said softly, interrupting her thoughts.

Carmilla moved down the sofa to the blonde, gently taking the remote out of her hand and setting it on the coffee table, then wrapping her arms around her middle and laying back into the position they had been in a little bit ago. “Me either.” She sighed and held her girlfriend firmly, kissing the back of her neck. “That’s why we always watch older shows. I didn’t want you seeing crap like that. The more you see, the more upset it will make you. Trust me.”

The blonde turned in her arms until their fronts were facing each other and their foreheads touched. “I want to do something. We can’t just accept it and give up.” Laura looked up into Carmilla’s eyes. “We need to fight.”

“We will.” She promised. “Once the organization J.P. talks about is up and running, the pro-slave assholes won’t know what hit them.”

Laura gave a small smile before leaning up, kissing Carmilla softly before changing the subject. “Have you thought about what J.P. told us yesterday?”

Carmilla slipped her hand beneath Laura’s shirt and gently caressed the warm skin on her back with her thumb. “That’s all I’ve been thinking about.”

“Do you know what you’re going to do?”

Carmilla took a deep breath. “Confront Mother. Pack our things. Then leave. I can’t be there anymore knowing what she did, and I can’t have you around her. If she’s willing to betray me, I can’t even imagine what she would try and do to you once I piss her off.”

Just thinking about her Mother even coming near Laura made her stomach hurt with anger.

“Where are we going to go?”

She unclenched her jaw, putting her Mother out of her head for the moment. “I have an idea, but I was going to ask you where you wanted to go.”

There was a few moments of silence between them, then Laura finally spoke back up. “Wherever you want to go, I’m sure will be fine.” She replied, her voice different than it had been before.

“Hey.” Carmilla removed her hand from beneath Laura’s shirt and rose it to her chin, guiding her head up so that she could look her in the eyes. “It’s _our_ decision.” She said, making herself clear. “We’re not going anywhere you don’t want to.”

Laura made a strange face, her forehead scrunching up, making creases as if she was confused. But it only lasted for a few moments, then it was gone.

“You said you had an idea. What were you thinking?”

She nodded. “I was thinking that maybe...you would want to go back home to Toronto, and see your dad?”

The blonde stared up at her, eyes wide for a few seconds, as if she couldn’t believe what she’d heard. “Really?”

“Yes, really-”

Carmilla barely finished when a pair of soft lips crashed against hers in a bruising kiss.

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’?” She asked a few seconds later, when they separated.

She was answered with another deep kiss, followed by a few pecks.

“When can we go?” Laura whispered against her lips.

Carmilla pushed a few locks of honey hair out of Laura’s face and behind her ear. “Well, I’m sure it will take a few days to get all our stuff sorted out, and packed. So, if we head back tomorrow, we could be in Toronto in less than a week.

Her girlfriend bit her lip, but that didn’t stop her from smiling wider than Carmilla’s ever seen, showing off her pearly white teeth. She would do anything to keep that smile in place. Which is why she suggested Laura’s home of Canada. She’s never been there herself, so it was going to be kind of scary, but it would be worth it. As much as she liked their life in Graz, she had to keep reminding herself that going back to the mansion as soon as possible would also get them out of there sooner. For the rest of the day though, she just wanted to savor their time alone, free of drama and full of excitement for what was to come in the near future. But first, she decided to text Perry. It would only be the polite thing to do.

_Carmilla (5:43pm): We’re coming back tomorrow, just so you know._

_Perry (5:44pm): Splendid! I’ve missed the two of you._

_Carmilla (5:44pm): Do me a favor and don’t tell Mother._

_Perry (5:45pm): As you wish._

_Perry (5:46pm): What time should I expect you back?_

_Carmilla (5:46pm): Early afternoon. Not sure of the exact time._

_Perry (5:47pm): I’ll be waiting :)_

It was nice to know that Perry missed them, and Hell, Carmilla even missed the redhead too. She could be overbearing most all the time, but she knew it came from a good place, and secretly appreciated it, even when it annoyed her to death, because at least Perry cared. Which is more than she could say about her own Mother. However, this was just another thing that she was uncertain of, going forward. When they moved to Toronto, Perry would still be here in Austria. Carmilla’s one constant over the years would be gone, and she wasn’t quite sure how to handle it. Sighing, she pulled Laura closer. Again, that was something that she would have to think about later. Right now, she just wanted to pretend that her and her girlfriend were in their own little bubble where there was nothing to worry about and everything was all sunshine and rainbows.


	28. Day 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is now officially the longest story I’ve ever written in my five years of being a fanfic writer, beating out my previous record of 76,156 words. Woo! And to think, there's a lot more to come :)

The next morning, Laura woke up with a big smile on her face, still plastered there from the night before when Carmilla brought up the idea of moving back to her home of Toronto. The blonde had wanted to declare her love right then in that moment, but she also didn’t want her girlfriend to think that is the only reason why she loves her, so she still kept that little secret to herself. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and looked over to said girlfriend, who was laying on her stomach, face buried in her pillow and limbs strewn outward from her body. Usually Laura would cuddle up to her back and wrap an arm around her before trying to go back to sleep, but she was already up, the excitement in her rising as she thought about seeing her dad again. It had only been just over a month since she last saw him, but it feels like an eternity since she truly thought that she would never see him again. Sure, she had thought about asking Carmilla if she could, at the very least, call him. But she never had, and she didn’t know exactly why. Even though there was something inside of her that told her Carmilla would probably give her anything she asked for.

She didn’t want to take advantage of that, so she had held back on asking anything of the sort. Maybe subconsciously she was afraid that (on the highly off chance) Carmilla would tell her no, and that it wasn’t worth risking her heart being crushed. It seemed like such a stupid thought now. She really should have brought it up sooner. But things ended up working out, so she tried not to dwell on those regrets. So, pushing those thoughts away, she quietly got up (as not to disturb Carmilla) and made her way into the bathroom. They were leaving Graz today and heading back to the mansion. While that was not the thrilling part, knowing that she would be back in Toronto in a matter of days is what kept her spirits up. She didn’t really think it was a good idea for Carmilla to confront her Mother, especially in person. If she was more than comfortable slapping her child because Laura hadn’t been wearing a collar in the house, of course there would be no hesitation to possibly do something worse when it came to going against something that she had a lot at stake with. She couldn’t even imagine how mad Ms. Karnstein was going to be when she finds out.

Laura didn’t want to think about all the years of pain and abuse Carmilla had suffered alone. Sure, there was Perry, but as much as Laura wanted her to be an ally, it was pretty clear that she could only help to an extent. She didn’t doubt that if Perry were to stand up to her boss that she would be fired immediately. Ms. Karnstein clearly wanted subservient people working for her, and if they stepped out of line, they could always be replaced. It was a hard position to be in, but maybe it was for the best that Perry had always helped when she could but still followed orders. The redhead was the closest thing Carmilla had to a real mother, and no doubt she would be even more scarred if there was no one in her life that was a constant. Laura’s childhood friends always daydreamed about what it was like to be rich in this world, how glamorous and wonderful it must be. In some ways, yeah, it was. Carmilla grew up with a nice house over her head and high quality food on her plate, and could afford pretty much anything her heart desired. But wealth could only get you so much. The love of a parent was priceless, and to have hatred in it’s place made Carmilla’s life miserable.

How the girl still had so much love and care in her to give seemed like a miracle, but Laura was more than happy to be the recipient of it. And she made a promise to herself that she would give as much as she could back. Out of anyone, Carmilla deserved to know that she was loved by someone. But with each passing day that she didn’t tell her, Laura grew more frustrated with herself. There was no perfect time to spill her guts, so she might as well just do it, right? Right. It was settled then. Before they left their safe couples nest in Graz, she would tell her girlfriend how she feels. With her mind set, she confidently stepped out of the shower, doing her best to clear her mind and not psych herself out. After she dried off, she reached toward the sink where she usually had her clean clothes stacked, ready to change into, but they weren’t there. Crap, In her happy daze she’d forgotten to grab them on her way. Not wanting to drip water out in the bedroom, she took extra time going over her body another two times with the towel as she brushed her teeth, then wrung out her hair until it was damp but not soaked anymore, and opened the door, stepping out into the cool bedroom.

Goosebumps prickled up on her skin and she padded her way over to the dresser. They had at least stopped tossing their clean clothes back into the open suitcases on the floor, due to her own request, and stacked them in folded piles on the dresser in front of the bed. Before she could even start picking her things out, a rustle of sheets and a sigh behind her broke the silence in the room. Automatically, Laura smiled at the noise and turned around to see Carmilla sitting up in bed, hand rubbing at her eyes, and hair in a bit of a mess, sticking out every which way. Ugh, she was so cute! With droopy eyes, she gave a crooked smile when she noticed her. Though that didn’t last two seconds before her eyes widened, as if suddenly awake, and raked down her body before quickly looking away. Oh right, she was in nothing but a towel. She could feel the heat of a blush in her cheeks. But before she could say anything, Carmilla was up and in the bathroom, gently shutting the door behind her. Well then. She took this time to quickly choose her clothes for the day and change into them, knowing the girl wouldn’t be in there long, having showered last night.

She couldn’t help but think of what Carmilla would look like in a towel though. The only time Laura had seen her in anything relatively revealing was when she was in a tank top and boy shorts the first day they... _discovered_ the pleasures of grinding. Other than that and the dress Perry had brought later that same night for Carmilla to wear to the event, Laura noticed she usually didn’t show off too much skin. Not that she thought there was anything wrong with that. But yeah, she thought about it maybe more than she should. What it would be like to slide her hand up Carmilla’s smooth leg and take her undies off. To unhook her bra and take what’s underneath into her hands. To have no barriers between them, just skin on skin. Laura unconsciously squeezed her legs together. This really wasn’t the time to get turned on. On the rare occasion that this had happened in the past, Laura took care of it and moved on. But now that she was dating someone, touching herself seemed to be...not necessarily cheating, but something that she’d much rather Carmilla do than have to do herself. And since they weren’t at that stage yet, she would just have to ignore it.

Putting her hair up into a ponytail, she took the few steps over to the balcony door, pulling the curtain back and letting the dim morning light in. The sky a light pink and orange, the sun just about to peek over the mountains. She always loved sunrise and sunset, because even if everything else in the day was shitty, at least the very beginning and the very end were beautiful. Opening the door, Laura stepped out onto the balcony. She regretted that they hadn’t spent much time out on it while they had been here, especially since the weather had mostly been really nice in the evenings. She stood there for a few minutes, watching as lights turned on in surrounding building windows. Soon, the streets would be busy with traffic of people heading off for breakfast and work. Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and came to rest on her stomach. Her heart jolted then fell back into a slightly faster rhythm than normal as she leaned back, inhaling the familiar scent, with a touch of spearmint, signifying that Carmilla had brushed her teeth while she was in the bathroom. She got another surprise just seconds later.

One of her girlfriend’s hands had come up and moved away the fabric of her shirt, revealing her bare shoulder. Instantly, lips latched onto the soft skin, sucking it into her mouth and leaving behind a light pink mark. Carmilla’s kisses continued along her shoulder and up her neck to her ear, where she gently bit. This definitely wasn’t helping her  _situation_ below the belt. She really just wanted to grab Carmilla’s hand and place it right where she wanted it, however a loud bird chirp reminded her that they were outside where anyone could see them. Groaning, she turned around and sought out soft lips with her own. No doubt if they were much further along in their relationship, she would have already pushed Carmilla back into the apartment and clothes would be haphazardly coming off. But when she pulled back and looked into her dark brown eyes, the words she had been wanting to say for what seemed like forever, came out of her before she could even have a second thought about it.

“I love you.” She said breathlessly.

There. She said it. It was out in the open. But she still felt like she had to explain that it wasn’t because of or influenced by what Carmilla was doing for her with her dad.

“I just want you to know-”

Carmilla reached up and guided her face into a kiss.

-“that I thought a lot about this and-”

Kiss.

“-I’m not just saying it because-”

Kiss.

“-I feel like I have to or because you’re taking me home-”

“Oh my God, Laura.” Carmilla finally interrupted.

“Yeah?”

“I love you too.”

Strangers possibly watching them be damned, she certainly didn’t care at this moment. She loves Carmilla. Carmilla loves her. She would be going home to see her dad soon. Everything was falling into place.

Later on in the morning, they had brunch with J.P. as a goodbye (for now). Carmilla was a bit torn on how she was feeling. On one hand, she was riding the high from Laura’s love confession earlier, and on the other hand she was sad that she was leaving J.P.,who had become a fast friend. They already promised to stay in contact, but texts and calls wasn’t the same as being in the same room. She hadn’t asked him, but she assumed that he planned to stay in Austria, even after his parents inevitably found out that he knew about the arrangement and that it wasn’t going to happen. His life was here, his other friends were here, and his parents were here. Unlike Carmilla, he never seemed to be itching to get away from them. But a long-distance friendship was better than no friendship at all. After they ate, he escorted them back to the apartment, even carrying both of their big suitcases down to her car for them. He hadn’t needed to do that, but Carmilla suspected that he was wasting time, not wanting to say goodbye either. But when there was nothing else to pack up, they all knew it was time.

“You two better not be strangers now, you hear?” J.P. said, giving both girls a look that is both playful but serious to get across that he means it.

Like Carmilla would give up her one real friend. Though, J.P. doesn’t know much about her past and trust issues, and how much his friendship already means to her. So instead of making a smart remark, she just walks over to him, stands on her tippy toes, and wraps her arms around her shoulders, hugging him tightly. His hands found her back and returned the embrace and rubbed her back fondly, resting his chin on her shoulder. A few moments went by before she released him and let Laura have her moment too. He released her with a kiss on her forehead, and the cab he called pulled up to the curb. They all waved goodbye with the promise to talk soon, and just like that, he was gone. Then there was nothing left to do but head to the mansion, so once she went back inside and talked to the building manager, tipping and thanking him for a lovely stay they had both had, they set out and said a silent goodbye to the city that had been so good to them. Though as Carmilla drove down the highway, she noticed Laura was being quieter than usual. She gave the girl about fifteen minutes before she had to know what was going on in her head.

“Penny for your thoughts, Cupcake?”

The blonde looked over, snapping out of her daze, then realized what Carmilla had asked.

“I was just thinking...we should probably pack everything before you talk to your Mother. That way we’ll be ready to leave if things go badly.”

Carmilla nodded. “Good thinking.”

Yeah, she really should have thought of that, but her mind had been so occupied with how the confrontation was going to go down and what she was going to say. Even with all the scenarios she had imagined in her head, she still had no idea how she was going to go about it. That occupied her mind for the rest of the drive, and a little over an hour later, they arrived back at the mansion. Carmilla pulled the car up and temporarily parked it in front of the door so they could take their bags out. Perry came out not five seconds after they arrived, curly hair bouncing around as she came down the steps, and a big smile on her face as she hugged Laura, who was closest to her.

“Good to have you both back.” She said before releasing the blonde and making her way over to Carmilla, who was opening the trunk.

“Ugh, pass.” She said playfully and held her hand up in front of her.

Perry just rolled her eyes and quickly embraced her for two seconds before extracting herself and helping get the suitcase out of the trunk. Carmilla, though with some difficulty, got the other suitcase out of the backseat, and handed it off to Laura. Getting back into the car, she watched the two women make their way into the mansion before she started the car back up and drove it further down the drive. Using a remote that was clipped to the visor, she opened the large garage door and pulled into her usual parking spot. The car that Kirsch always drove her Mother around in was gone, and Carmilla let out a sigh of relief that she wouldn’t have to face the woman right off the bat. She wanted to stay as invisible as possible up until the moment she was ready. Though things never seem to work out the way she wants them to, so she decided that she should probably start mentally preparing sooner rather than later. She jogged back to the front door and let herself in, walking through the home that seemed so foreign now, and found Laura and Perry in the kitchen.

“Where’d Mother go?” She questioned, wiping the thin layer of sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.

“Late business lunch in town.” Perry said before looking at her watch. “She may be back any moment though.”

Carmilla nodded. “Let’s get all this stuff upstairs and out of sight before she gets back.”

She let Laura lead the way, going through the pantry and up the secret staircase to their room. However, before she followed the blonde, she stopped and turned back to Perry.

“I don’t want Mother to know we’re here. So if you and Kirsch could keep our presence to yourselves, that would be great.”

The older woman nodded. “Of course. But why, if I may ask?”

Oh right, Perry didn’t know about the whole arranged marriage situation. And while she was tired of even thinking about it, maybe the redhead could offer some advice.

“Come on, I’ll explain upstairs.”


	29. Day 30: Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Domestic Abuse and Violence.
> 
> Sorry in advance.

Carmilla cringed at the loud squawk the packing tape made as she sealed another box closed. While she was ecstatic that they were basically done, that sound had become beyond annoying the past two days. They probably could have been finished by yesterday, but she decided it was only safe to work on packing things when her Mother wasn’t at the house, just in case she heard something. But luckily for them, she was gone fairly often. With the help of Perry though, they got a lot more done in less time. They all packed pretty much packed everything of Carmilla’s that wasn’t furnature. All her art supplies and paintings that she didn’t want to part with, movies, knick-knacks that she had picked up from her past travels, books she couldn't live without (since she has an entire library that can’t come with her), her guitars, and the closet full of clothes. But they would only take a suitcase each, full of clean clothes, and Carmilla’s computer and accessories in her backpack to Toronto initially. Once they find a place to settle down in, she’ll have Perry ship the rest of her things. But now, they would be going into storage.

Not storage here, but in an actual facility in town, away from the mansion where her Mother couldn’t set fire to them. Because really, both girls wouldn’t put it past her to do something like that in retaliation from the conversation that had yet to happen. Just another reason why they had gone so far in keeping their presence quiet. Carmilla was worried that if she’d known when they arrived, she’d get suspicious after a few days. Of course, she always could have lied and said they came back for a change of clothes or something, but somehow this just seemed easier. It was pretty great how it had worked out, actually. Even though the keeping as quiet as they can thing was a bit stressful, it was better than her Mother breathing down her neck and asking a bunch of questions she wasn’t ready to answer. Not that she would ever really be ready, but the time to finally deal with that was coming fast. It made her tense. It was something she couldn’t shake, and no amount of Laura hugs and kisses could soother her this time. She knew she wouldn’t be able to actually completely relax until they were on the plane to Canada.

However, there was a certain relief when they loaded the last box into Perry’s car (with a smidge of difficulty since it was a smaller model vehicle that could only hold so much) and watched the redhead pull away. Carmilla and Laura both wanted to leave before noon, so Perry had offered to save them time and take the last of her things to the storage unit while they finished up. Both doing a once-over of every room on the third floor, making sure that nothing she wanted packed had managed to be accidentally left out. As she looked around the music room, she let out a somber sigh. She hated that the piano had to stay. Yes, it had been a gift from her Mother, but that hadn’t ruined it. Carmilla had taught herself to play on it, and there was just a certain sound to it that she knew no other piano could replicate. Tearing her eyes away from the beautiful black and white instrument, she walked over to the bookshelves. They were still very much full, only a few holes here and there from the books she actually did pack to take with her. Unfortunately, most of her books couldn’t be packed. It would take too many trips and waste more time. And she didn't _need_ them. It was only what she deemed the “essentials” that were getting to come.

When she came back into her room, now bare and looking as it had before she was old enough to really give it a personal touch, there was a feeling that bubbled up inside of her chest, and it made her want to cry. Sure, the mansion had felt like a prison, but this was _her_ space. Her sanctuary. A place that her Mother had never stepped foot in. She already missed it, now that she knew this was the last time that she would ever see it. Carmilla wasn’t kidding when she said that she never wanted to come back. Besides, even if she was crazy enough to change her mind about that in the future, after today...she highly doubted her Mother would ever want to see her again either. Unless she came back on her hands and knees, begging to be forgiven. She would love that and milk it for all it’s worth. That thought send uneasy shivers down her spine. If that ever happened, she might as well be a slave herself, because that’s exactly how it would be. Thankfully, the chances of that happening were one in a million. Taking one last sweeping glance around, she switched off the light and made her way down the secret passageway stairs one last time.

Laura was waiting for her in the kitchen, sitting at the dining table and putting her collar back on. Carmilla leaned down and kissed the top of her head, soft blonde hair tickling her nose, before she jerked her head toward the front of the house. Her girlfriend nodded and picked up her suitcase, which was sitting on the floor next to her. Carmilla picked up her bookbag and threw one strap over her shoulder, then lifted her own large suitcase. They made their way out the front door and down the stairs to the driveway where her car was waiting, ready to be started and take off in a moments notice. She went through the struggle of getting her bag situated in the back seat while Laura easily put hers in the trunk. Carmilla was just about to make a joke about it when she heard tires crunching the gravel of the driveway. Both girls turned towards the sound, and within seconds, the sleek black town car appeared. She repositioned the driver’s seat to its proper position, hiding the suitcase from view as Laura closed the trunk. The other car pulled up and Ms. Karnstein got out gracefully, and she felt her heart start to pound in her chest. This was it.

The older woman closed the car door before stepping forwards and removing her large sunglasses from her face. “Carmilla, I didn’t realize you were coming.”

Kirsch pulled away and steered the car towards the garage.

“It was a bit of a last minute decision.” She lied, as not to possibly get Perry in trouble for not telling her. “But I wanted to speak with you about something.”

Ms. Karnstein folded her sunglasses and swiftly put them in her small black purse that hung from her shoulder. “Let’s take this inside, then. It’s rather hot out.”

Her Mother walked away and let herself in the door, leaving the two girls outside.

“I’m going to go...break the news. You stay out here.” She turned around and stepped over to Laura. “I’ll be back in a few.”

She left the blonde with a kiss on the cheek and followed her Mother inside. It felt more like she was walking herself to the gallows than to have a conversation with her own Mother. Entering the mansion, she looked both ways into the separate parlor rooms on either side of the hallway, but found both dark. Continuing on further, she heard movement in the kitchen, so she pushed open the swinging door to find the woman setting her purse down on the table and pulling a fresh water bottle out of the fridge. After days of thinking about this conversation, she still had absolutely no idea how to start it. It was awkward and scary, and she was by no means confident. She never has been with her Mother. Any strength she had build up was always so easily torn down in a matter of seconds. But this time was different, she kept reminding herself. But she wasn’t just doing it for herself this time. There was Laura to think about now. To protect her, to make her happy. This decision would make both of them safe _and_ happy. It had to be done. However, the question in her mind still remained. How was she to go about this? Just come out and say what she found out, or to not show all of her cards right away and hold that fact back for a minute to see what her Mother would say? 

Ms. Karnstein took a small drink of water, then screwed the cap back on and sat it on the counter before turning back to her daughter. “What is it that you wanted to speak of, Darling?”

Ugh, her light voice and fake sweetness made Carmilla want to roll her eyes.

“I wanted to ask you why you’re trying to set J.P. and I up? It was pretty clear at the event that you and his parents were hoping for us to like each other in a more than friendly way.”

Without pause, the older woman answered. “Of course. I only want the best for you, after all.”

Lies.

“If you wanted the best for me than you’d let me make my own choices.”

The woman sighed. “Carmilla, if I let you make your own choices, you would be going nowhere in life. I was just trying to gently push you in the right direction.”

Gently? That’s a joke if she ever heard one.

“Even if I did believe those were pure intentions, you seem to have forget an important detail."

“And what is that, dear?”

Carmilla rolled her eyes. “Gee, I don’t know. The fact that I’m gay.”

For the first time since the conversation started, Ms. Karnstein’s gaze faltered.

“Carmilla, please. It’s time you drop that nonsense and grow up.”

Her Mother’s voice was colder now. She’d hit a nerve.

“Nonsense? I thought that you were fine with it?”

“I never said anything of the sort.” She denied. “I just figured that you would come to your senses. Apparently not.”

Anger heated up inside of her then.

“If you didn’t like it so much, then why did you buy me a female slave?”

Her Mother sighed. “ I believed that if you could get your... _urges_...dealt with, from the help of a pet, then you would be able to finally see that wasn’t the right path to be going down. That you would wise up and be willing to marry a nice young man.”

Carmilla didn’t even know where to begin responding to what she just heard. But the hot anger inside of her was rising, and in turn, seemed to give her courage.

“Unfortunately for you, Mother, this is the real world. Things don’t always work out the way _you_ like. I’m gay. There’s no changing that. I was born this way, and I will always be this way. No matter how many nice boys you'd try to set me up with. Nothing inside of me would change.”

“The real world?” The woman let out a short, humourless laugh. “You know nothing about the real world, dear. And if you go to the right people, these things can be fixed.”

Fixed? Even if that was possible, she didn’t need to be fixed.

“Now,” Her Mother continued. “this is obviously something that you’ve been struggling with for a long time, but it can be handled discreetly. I know an excellent doctor. No one would ever have to ever know about your previous...discretions, and once you’ve been treated, you will see things my way.”

Carmilla hated to even think about what sort of treatment that would entail.

“I’m not getting _treatment_.” She spit out. “And I'm not going to argue about this anymore. I came here to tell you that I’m done. With you, this place, and the people here.”

She could see that her Mother’s jaw was now clenched. She was annoyed, and soon would be getting to the point where fists would be flying. But she continued.

“You can cut the crap about wanting to help me. I know about the deal you made with the Armitage’s. It’s not going to happen.”

Ms. Karnstein looked genuinely surprised. She wasn’t expecting something like this to happen. A monkey wrench in her plans that she never predicted.

“What’s gotten into you lately, Carmilla? You used to trust my choices for you.”

“I never trusted you. You beat me into submission. There’s a huge difference.” She straightened her back and looked her Mother dead straight in the eyes. “The only thing that's gotten into me is finally believing that I deserve better. Laura’s given me the love and bravery to fight for what I want now.”

Her Mother burst out laughing in a genuine chuckle. “Do you really think that slave loves you?”

“Yes, I do.” Carmilla said without hesitation.

The woman’s laughter instantly died down and her voice lowered again. “Then you are much more stupid than I thought. You _own_ her, Sweetheart. She has no other choice but to tolerate you.”

It was getting harder and harder not to shout at her Mother, but that would just be another way for the woman to try and tear her down. Shouting would make her emotional, and she had to stay strong this time.

“She’s more than just a slave. And you can keep telling yourself that this is all just a phase, or something that can be cured, but it won’t change reality. The deal you made with the Armitage’s is absolutely insane, and something I wouldn't ever agree to. Even if I did miraculously like men.”

Ms. Karnstein closed the few steps between them, taking her time as she stared down her daughter with dark eyes. “You seem to be misunderstanding.”

She then reached up and grabbed ahold of Carmilla’s neck, firmly holding her in place, but not with enough force to choke her. Yet. It was a scare tactic to try and get her to back down, like she always had in the past. But little did she know that this time it wouldn’t work.

Back outside, Laura stared at the front door. It had been maybe five minutes since both Carmilla and her Mother disappeared inside, but anxiety rose in her more every second that passed. She had a bad feeling. Going against better judgement, she pushed off the car where she'd been resting and headed into the house. She had to know that Carmilla was okay. She quietly opened the front door and stood still, perking her ears up, listening to her surroundings. Faint, muffled voices came from the kitchen, so she inched her way down the hall until she finally heard what was being said.

_“The deal you made with the Armitage’s is absolutely insane, and something I wouldn't ever agree to. Even if I did miraculously like men.”_

_“You seem to be misunderstanding.”_

It was silent for a second before she heard Carmilla let out a sudden gasp.

Panicking, Laura leaned in closer and peaked through the crack in the door hinge and saw that the older woman had Carmilla by the neck. No. She couldn’t let her get hurt anymore. So without thinking, she burst through the door so fast that it flew back and hit the wall behind it with a loud crack.

“Take your hands off of her!” Laura said in an authoritative voice.

The woman scoffed. “How do you expect me to be threatened when you can’t even keep your slave in line?”

Laura saw the hand on Carmilla’s throat tighten and the girl let out a groan.

“Since you can’t control her, I think that a long-overdue punishment is in order...”

“Don’t even think about touching her.” Carmilla growled, nearly choking on her words as her hands try to pry her Mother's fingers off her throat.

“And what are you going to do, Darling?”

Ms. Karnstein laughed evilly before her face changed into a look of disgust. Then before she knew it, Carmilla was forcefully pushed to the side, and the woman’s eyes were now set on Laura. However, the blonde didn’t notice. All she saw was her girlfriend falling backwards and hitting her head on the dining table before landing on the floor with a thud. It was like everything was in slow motion, and she was too slow to help. She barely got half a step towards her before she was snapped out of it and she screamed out in pain as her hair is roughly tugged. Her hands flew up and grasped at her roots, as if that would make the pain stop, but the hand in her hair only tightened more aggressively. Tears instantly spring to her eyes and she was dragged back through the kitchen, not knowing where she was being lead, or what was going to happen once she got there. As the woman swung the door open to go out into the hallway, Laura looked back behind her as her scalp screamed in pain...but for a split second she didn’t feel it. Not when she saw Carmilla still lying motionless on the floor and the corner of the table covered in blood where she had hit her head. Oh God. She hated to even think it, but she couldn't deny the fact that the girl she loves looked...dead. And now she was at the mercy of the woman who'd done it with absolutely no hesitation. She was screwed. 


	30. Day 30: Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Violence

Laura slowly drifted into consciousness, gently lulled by the sound of raindrops hitting a nearby window. It was...peaceful, and she really didn’t want to open her eyes. The only thing that seemed to be missing was the weight of Carmilla’s arm resting on her back, where it usually was when she woke up on her stomach. Before attempting to move closer to the center of the bed, and presumably Carmilla, Laura started to take a deep breath as she yawned, but was jolted into stopping when a sharp pain shot through her ribs. She groaned under her breath, and froze for a few moments until she allowed herself to breathe again, though this time much slower and more shallow than before. Opening her eyes, the blonde finally took in her surroundings, expecting Carmilla’s bedroom to greet her, only to find a large, relatively bare room. What? How did she get here? And God, why did her ribs hurt? Letting out a heavy sigh, Laura instantly regretted it. Her her sides and stomach ached like she’d gotten badly beaten in a fight. She closed her eyes again, trying to think back to the last thing that she remembered.

They left Graz and came back to the mansion. They packed Carmilla’s things up for storage. They were getting ready to leave...when Ms. Karnstein showed up. Carmilla went inside to talk with her Mother. She got worried about her girlfriend and went inside. She found them in the kitchen. Ms. Karnstein tossed Carmilla to the side like a ragdoll. Blood. Her laying there on the floor. Laura’s hair being grabbed as she was pulled away...

_“Carm!” She managed to yell before the kitchen door swung shut and blocked her view._

_“Shut up, you dirty slave.” Ms. Karnstein hissed as she dragged Laura around the corner and down to the end of a hall she hadn’t ventured to before._

_With one hand still clutching her hair, the woman unlocked a large, heavy wooden door with the other then pushed her in. Her foot caught on the edge of a rug and she tripped, landing on the floor with a thud._

_“I knew you were worthless from the moment I saw you.”_

_Heels clicked with every step around her on the dark wood as Laura got up on her hands and knees. A blow came then, on the right side, hitting her lower ribs. It was enough to stun her. She didn’t know what she had been expecting, but it wasn’t that. Though she definitely should have anticipated it, recalling the day where she stood at the top of the stairs and heard her beat Carmilla. This woman was capable of anything, and would spare no mercy. but as much as she was afraid of what was about to happen, she was more than happy that her girlfriend didn’t have to take yet another round of abuse. She just had to make it out of this alive, make sure that Carmilla was okay, and then they could finally leave this place behind for good. Before another thought could pass through her mind, Ms. Karnstein’s voice brought her back to the moment._

_“You’ve done nothing but cause trouble since you showed up.”_

_Laura could hear the disgust in the woman’s voice, and she clenched her fists._

_“If by trouble you mean making your daughter realize that she’s worth more than having to enduring abuse from someone who is supposed to love her...then yeah, and I’m damn proud of it.”_

_“How dare you speak back to me, you wretched girl.”_

_Another hard kick came, this time hitting center of the right side of her ribcage. She gasped but quickly tried to get her breathing back under control, not wanting to give away how much this was hurting her. Within a few seconds, Laura managed to push herself up from the floor enough to raise her head to look the woman in the eye._

_“The only wretched one here is you.”_

_Next thing she knew, a hard, bony fist connected with her cheek. Her head snapped to the right and finally the pain took over when another strike of the woman’s shoe struck her in the stomach. Her head was disoriented and vision blurry, but she was still conscious enough to feel her shirt being harshly tugged off. Before she could even try to compose a thought as to why, she was grabbed by the arm and pulled across the smooth floor, her wrists being placed in handcuffs and raised above her head. She did her best to blink away the foggy feeling in her brain and focus on what was happening, but by the time she registered that she was now chained to a metal bar that was mounted on the wall, she was greeted with another surprise._

Laura whimpered and closed her eyes hard, pushing away the memory that had flashed into her head. Carmilla...she had to see that she was okay. Very gently, she pushed herself up from the bed enough to move her stiff neck to the opposite side, but there next to her was a empty space. What if her girlfriend had been left behind when she was brought to...wherever she was now? There was nothing more terrifying than the thought of Carmilla still on the kitchen floor in the mansion, all alone. That was enough to give her the strength to push herself up from the bed completely, swinging her legs over the side, and bare feet meeting the carpeted floor. A flop grabbed her attention, and she looked down to the side where a ziplock bag of water and towel now lay. Someone had obviously given her an ice pack to help her bruising, but who? Ignoring the aches and pains from moving, she rose up from the bed, grabbing onto the frame for stability before taking a few baby steps on her wobbly legs. The floor creaked lightly underneath her weight as she made her way across the room and to the door, one step at a time.

Her hand found purchase on the wall next to the door, resting against it for a few seconds before she reached out with her free hand and turned the knob. It made a tiny squeak before she released it and let it continue opening by itself until it bumped up against the doorstop. Before her now was a dark hallway, but the end of it was lit up by a dim light source from another room. There, she heard low voices muttering. It was clearly more than one person, and she had no idea who they were. Realistically, she should be scared of waking up in a new place where two or more people had taken her, however, they had obviously taken care of her, what with the comfy bed and ice pack. Her heart wanted to believe that she was rescued rather than just taken by more bad people, but she was still cautious. As Laura shuffled down the hall, she kept one hand across her stomach (though it’s not like it actually helped with the discomfort) and the other lightly dragged along the wall, guiding and keeping her upright. When she made it about halfway down the hall, one of the voices got louder before a figure appeared. It made her heart skip a beat before she recognized who it was.

“Oh my God, Laura, you shouldn’t be out of bed.” Carmilla said as she rushed over.

When she got to her, the girl’s hands reached out to help, but recoiled as if not wanting to hurt her. But she didn’t care, she needed to hold her girlfriend. She let out a sigh of relief and fell into Carmilla, wrapping her arms around her neck.

“Laura, you’re going to hurt yourself.”

That only made her latch on tighter, burying her face in Carmilla’s neck and taking in her familiar scent. All the nerves she had were instantly soothed, and but for a few moments, she forgot how much her body ached. Finally, she felt Carmilla’s hands just barely rest on her hips, and a thumb graze her skin, caressing it with such tenderness. She returned the affection with a light kiss below Carmilla’s ear, which earned her a content sigh. They stayed like that for a few minutes before she was carefully pushed back, having to let go.

“Come on back to bed. You should be resting.”

Laura nodded and took the hand that was held out for her, letting herself be led back to the room where she’d woken up, though not without a quick stop in the bathroom first. While she had been in there, Carmilla had gotten her a new ice pack, some pain meds, and pulled the covers on the bed back for her to easily slip in. She sat down gingerly on the edge before she palmed the pills and swallowed them with some water. She wiped her lips dry before laying down and hitting the cool sheets with her back. Instantly, she groaned as her entire upper back screamed out against the weight being put on it, and another memory fought its way to the forefront of her mind.

_Laura’s vision finally righted itself enough in time to see Ms. Karnstein striding over to a rack on the wall to her left and pulling a riding crop off of it. Her eyes widened as she realized why her shirt had been taken off now. A new level of panic set in as the woman made her way back over to her. She tugged on the handcuffs, trying to pull herself free, whether that be slipping her hands through the cuffs, or to pulling hard enough that the bar she was chained to would come loose. But both were highly unlikely to happen. Only in movies did things seem to work out so perfectly. The restraints were too tight and the bar was heavy-duty bolted into the wall. In a situation like this with another person, she would beg. But this was Ms. Karnstein, a woman who probably got off on pleadings for mercy, so there was no way in Hell Laura was going to give her what she wanted. Come to think about it, that’s probably why Carmilla always got it so bad. She didn’t beg for her to stop either, she just took it. And if Laura wasn’t restrained, she would have no problem dealing out some revenge on the woman. However, right now, she had to be strong._

_Needing to relieve some pressure from her wrists, she shifted to rest on her knees, that were now sore from being banged around in the hard floor, and grabbed the metal bar with both hands, clutching it so tightly that her knuckles turned white. The ice cold steel pierced through her, sending a shiver up her spine and made the bruises already forming on her body tingle. She turned her head, not wanting to see what was coming, and tensed her muscles up when her bra was forcibly undone._

_“You know, I thought that being so generous as to gift a slave to my daughter would finally bring her around.” Ms. Karnstein spoke through clenched teeth. “That she was just being a stubborn child all these years because, well, I’m her Mother after all. You were supposed to take care of her unnatural urges so she could get past it and marry a nice, well-off young man…”_

_A swift whack of the crop hit her shoulder blade, and Laura bit her lip to keep from whining, but oh God it stung._

_“I had it all planned out perfectly. She would have married Jeremiah Armitage, his father and my companies would merge into one, and all parties would be happy.”_

_Another strike came down on her, this time in the middle of her back, and she let out a shaky breath that she had been holding before she managed to speak, though her voice wavered._

_“Except for Carmilla.”_

_Hit._

_“You just don’t know when to shut your mouth, do you?”_

_Whip._

_It was then that Laura couldn’t hold back the tears any longer, and let them flow, but kept her eyes closed and her screams of pain on the inside as much as she could. It hurt so much. The woman must be using most of her strength to bring it down on her._

_“Carmilla was always such a disappointment, I guess I should have expected nothing less when she picked you.”_

_Ms. Karnstein then stepped closer, taking ahold of her hair once again and tilting her head to face her. Laura opened her eyes and stared dead into the eyes of the woman hovering over her._

_“What is it about you that she finds so damn special, hm? That she would give up everything she has here, her future, to run off with a foul creature that has absolutely nothing to offer her?”_

_“I love her.”_

_The older woman scoffed and let go of her with a disgusted face. “No, you don’t.”_

_Swat._

_“In this world, there is no longer such a thing as true love.”_

_Smack._

_“True lust, maybe.”_

_Clap._

_It was getting harder and harder for Laura to deal with what was being inflicted upon her, and she couldn’t help herself when a sob finally broke out._

_“You’re wrong.” She cried._

_Ms. Karnstein let out a chuckle. “How heartwarming. Now shut up, before I drag your little girlfriend in here and make you watch as I do the same to her.”_

_Laura gasped, though hard to tell in between her sobs. No, she couldn’t let Carmilla get hurt anymore. She could get through this. Be strong. She just had to be strong._

_Whap._

_Slap._

_Crack._

_The riding crop was brought down on her back again and again...and again._

“Hey, hey. Laura.” Carmilla’s voice pulled her back and she felt herself being turned over onto her stomach.

The intense discomfort in her back started to subside, and though her ribs hurt as well, this position was the less painful option of the two. Seconds after she got settled, the covers were pulled up onto her body and the ice pack was placed on her upper back. She wasn’t sure it would actually do any good, but she hoped that maybe the ice paired with the meds would take some of the pain away for just a little while.

“Do you need anything? Are you hungry?” Carmilla asked in a barely audible voice.

Was she hungry? Truthfully, she couldn’t tell...so she shook her head. The only thing she wanted right now was Carmilla.

“Lay with me.” She said.

A few seconds of silence followed before she heard footsteps making their way around the bed and Carmilla very carefully laid herself down next to her, keeping about a foot between them but it felt like she was a mile away. She wanted to ask all the questions that plagued her mind, but it was clear that first she had to convince the girl beside her that she didn’t like being treated like she was about to break.


	31. Day 30, Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Violence.

Carmilla let out a relieved sigh as J.P. showed his friend out of the apartment. After she had found Laura, the girl had been in and out of consciousness, and during one of her awake moments, she had requested not to be taken to the hospital. While that wasn’t a decision that Carmilla took lightly, she had granted the blonde’s wish. They were both worried about her Mother and what she would do if she found both of them again, and the hospital would be the most logical place. So instead, with the help of Perry, they got Laura into her car and she drove herself and her girlfriend back to Graz, calling J.P. on the way. Because if anyone could help, it was him. Plus, besides Perry, he was the only other person that she trusted. She hadn’t given him much details on what happened, other than her Mother had hurt Laura and she had begged not to be taken to the hospital. Carmilla hated asking such a big favor, but she questioned him if he knew a doctor that could make a discreet house call. He wasted no time in telling her that he did, and gave them the address of his apartment before he called his friend.

Originally, Carmilla wanted to stay at a hotel near J.P., but he had insisted that they stay with him. It was only when she looked over to the passenger seat where Laura lay strapped in but still unconscious when she had agreed. She didn’t want to move her anymore than necessary until she got the news that she was going to be okay or not. They had arrived early in the afternoon, (Carmilla had really put the petal to the metal on the way over, and miraculously hadn’t gotten spotted by police), and J.P. met them outside of his building. After a short debate on how to move Laura, not wanting to hurt her anymore than she already was, J.P. gently placed the blonde’s arm over his shoulders and carefully lifted her up into his arms. The girl whimpered once her full weight was in his embrace. It was impossible to avoid all areas of injury on her freshly beaten body. He did his best to shift more of her weight on his arm that was under the backs of her thighs, taking some pressure off of her upper back, where she had been hurt the most it seemed. Once he got her settled, he lead the way into the apartment building.

They got curious stares from the doorman and woman at the front desk, but J.P. reassured Carmilla as they took the elevator up that they wouldn’t say anything. It was kind of an “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy here. With so many rich and influential young people in the building, they weren’t ones to blab about anything they saw (if they knew what was good for them). He was never too fond of that being the case until now, and Carmilla relaxed just a tatch. When they arrived at his floor, as instructed by J.P., she took his key out of his back pocket and inserted it into the lock. There was a ding, and the doors opened into his apartment. The girls had never been there before, so she let him lead the way through the living room, down the hall, and into the guest bedroom at the end. He laid her down on top of the covers for easy access when the doctor came, and Carmilla instantly sat next to her on the edge of the bed. She wanted to scoop her girlfriend up in a tight embrace, but knew she couldn’t, not without hurting her. So she settled with moving a few locks of her honey blonde hair out of her face and placing a kiss on her forehead.

After a few moments, J.P.’s hand reached out and rubbed her back before making its way up to her shoulder, where he squeezed slightly to get her attention. When she looked up at him, he cocked his head and gestured towards the door. She nodded and he let her go. After a few more seconds of looking at Laura, she softly cupped the side of her face that was bruised and kissed her unblemished cheek, lingering for a few seconds before pulling back and quietly getting up and making her way down the hall and into the living room where J.P. waited. And for the next half hour she gave a detailed recollection of what had happened. At least, what happened on her side. Carmilla still didn’t know everything that happened to Laura in that room with her Mother, and right now, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. Not when they were still so close to her Mother. When Laura would tell her everything, she hoped to be far, far away, as to not do anything stupid. If she thought about it too much, the fire inside her would fuel her to want to get even...

_A hard shake woke Carmilla up, and she groaned when the pain in her head made itself known, her heartbeat thudding loudly in her ears. A muffled voice called something that sounded like her name, and frantic hands cup her cheeks and shook her shoulder. God, why couldn’t whoever it was leave her alone? Blindly, she sloppily pushed the hands away, but they were persistent. Finally, she opened her eyes, but immediately regretted it as she was bombarded with a bright light. She closed them again and turned her head away, groaning to herself._

_“Carmilla?” She heard Perry say. “Carmilla, please answer me.”_

_“What?” She managed to get out._

_“Oh, thank God.”_

_The redhead was clearly panicky, but Carmilla was confused as to why._

_“It looks like you fell and hit your head. Are you alright? We should take you to a hospital.”_

_Hit her head? She tried to think back to why she would be in this position in the first place, and was bombarded by flashes of her Mother’s hand around her neck, Laura coming into the kitchen...and then it all went black. Shit. Her eyes sprung open, not caring about the harsh light, and she looked up at Perry, whose bouncy curls had come out of her ponytail and were now obstructing some of her face._

_“Where is Laura?” She asked urgently._

_“I...I just got back.I haven’t seen her.”_

_“Shit. Mother.” She replied, turning onto her side and sitting up with the help of Perry.  “Do you think she took her somewhere?”_

_Perry shook her head. “The car is still here. Kirsch is in the garage washing it.”_

_Then there was only one place she would be._

_“The dungeon.” She whispered with dread._

_While it wasn’t actually a dungeon, it’s what Carmilla referred to it as because that’s what it reminded her of. She’d only seen the inside of it once, by accident because the door hadn’t closed all the way, and her curiosity had gotten the better of her. It was a large room filled with...toys, chains, and other things that her Mother used on the slaves she bought. Toys was definitely the wrong word. They looked more like torture objects...which just added to why she referred to the room as “the dungeon”. She didn’t get too good of a look though because almost immediately her Mother caught her peeking in, and she was punished for it. While her Mother did her best to try and instill the traditional slave values in her head from a young age, the woman was very secretive and protective of what she did with her slaves in the dungeon. Which was something that Carmilla never really understood. She couldn’t recall how many times she’d walked into the kitchen or past the main parlor when her Mother was in the middle of sex with a slave. You’d think with that kind of reckless behavior around a child, she wouldn’t give a shit about her seeing the room or not. But she did._

_Since then she’s never even gone back down the hall near the door, but she has seen her Mother drag slave in and out many time over the years. When she was done with them, usually days, but sometimes weeks later, they look like a different people. Like their souls were sucked from them. Getting up off the floor, she wobbled on her feet for a few seconds before setting eyes on the kitchen door. Carmilla couldn’t let anything happen to Laura. She would never forgive herself. And so she made her way out the door and down the hallway, Perry’s voice behind her saying that she should take it easy. But there was no time. She had to get in the dungeon. She had to get Laura back. And they had to get the hell out of there._

Thankfully, Carmilla wasn’t left with her thoughts for too long. J.P.’s doctor friend had showed up quickly, medical bag in his hand. After a short introduction, J.P. led all three of them to the guest bedroom where Laura still lie unconscious. He poked and prodded her still body, eliciting a small whine every now and then. Carmilla thought it was a miracle that the girl hadn’t woken up at all during it. When the man was finally done, he zipped up his bag and they all went back to the living room, Carmilla closing the guest room door behind them. The doctor had determined that there was no internal bleeding and nothing was broken, she was just badly bruised on her sides and back. Relief swept through Carmilla, and she nodded when he told her that pain meds and a few weeks rest would heal her up just fine. She thanked him, shaking his hand before J.P. escorted him to the elevator door and slipped him some cash. She allowed herself to sit down on the sofa, and ran her hands through her hair. Today have been so much more stressful than she ever could have imagined, and it was catching up with her.

“You can stay here as long as you need to.” J.P. said, taking a seat next to her.

Carmilla shook her head. “You don’t have to put up with us, we can go to a hotel once she’s ready to move.”

“Hey.” He said seriously, bumping her shoulder. “We’re friends, right?”

He waited until she nodded a few seconds later.

“Then I’m not just tolerating you. You two are my friends, and friends help each other when they need it.”

Carmilla bit her lip and attempted to blink back her tears, but this time she couldn’t. J.P. wasted no time in gathering her up in a hug, which she melted into. Wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face into his neck, she finally let herself cry freely. After the day she had had, everything had just been building up inside of her. She needed to release all of the anger, tension, and sadness that was weighing her down, and she felt safe letting it all out with J.P. supporting her. She had been so scared. Her worst fear of her Mother hurting Laura came true, and she was too late. It had happened and there was no way to take it back. All she could do now was move forward, and taking care of her girlfriend was her main priority. Though at this moment there wasn’t much else to do but let her rest. In the next few hours that went by, Carmilla calmed down and J.P. tried to occupy her with television and dinner. While she appreciated his effort, her thoughts were never too far from the day's events.

_Carmilla threw herself at the heavy door, turning the knob as hard as she could. She knew it would be locked but for some odd reason she still tried. She was on her second attempt to break it open by ramming it with her shoulder when Perry caught up with her. She ran into it once more, doing more damage to herself than she ever could to the thick door. Key. They needed the key._

_“I can’t get in like this. We need a key. Please tell me you have a key.” She begged, out of breath._

_“I...I can check her office.” Perry said before taking off down the hall._

_She followed, knowing it was no use to keep pounding on the door. Thankfully her Mother’s office was unlocked, and Perry started searching through the drawers. She knew the older woman probably had a key in her pocket, but there had to be a spare somewhere._

_“I looked through all the drawers...I didn’t find anything.” Perry said, now more shaken than ever._

_Carmilla took a look of her own, only to find files and paperwork. So she did something that she’d seen multiple times on TV, because why not? She felt around for possible latches that opened hidden compartments, and put pressure on the back of the drawers to see if there was anything that would lift up and be underneath. She got a lucky break on the very last one she checked. The false bottom lifter slightly due to her pressure, so she took out the huge stack of papers to get better access. The key was old-fashioned rather than modern. Carmilla didn’t expect anything less from her Mother. Grabbing it, she ran back out of the office and made her way down the hall again, nearly slipping and wiping out when she rounded the corner. Her shaky hands missed the lock a few times, but when she got it right, she turned it and burst through the door. The first thing she saw was her Mother bringing down a riding crop hard onto Laura’s already red back, and her anger replaced her fear. Her abrupt entrance was noticed and both locked eyes. Carmilla’s swimming with rage and her Mother’s almost delighted that she’d interrupted._

_“So glad you could finally join us, Carmilla.” The woman said. “ It’s past time you learn how to control your slave.”_

_It was almost like Carmilla’s body was possessed as she watched herself lunge at her Mother, pulling her away from Laura, and knocking both of them to the floor. With one hand around the woman’s throat, she wrestled the riding crop out of her hand and threw it to the side. She would be lying if she didn’t admit that she got some satisfaction from seeing her Mother struggle to breath, her bony hands clawing at Carmilla’s. But as much as she wanted to keep tightening her hand, she pulled away completely after a few moments, leaving the woman coughing. If Carmilla had kept going, she would consider herself no better than the woman beneath her. Killing her wouldn’t solve any problems, it would only cause more to arise. Pushing off her, she crawled over to Laura, who seemed to be unconscious at the moment. She felt Perry come up beside her and whisper something that sounded like “oh my goodness”, before she reached out to touched her irritated skin. Carmilla focused on the handcuffs that bound her girlfriend to a metal bar that was bolted to the wall. Again, she needed a key. Though in her frantic search, she noticed that she Mother was now nowhere to be seen._

_“Where is she?” Carmilla asked Perry._

_“I-I don’t know. I didn’t see her leave...”_

_“We need go. Now.”_

_With the small key in her hand that she’d found sitting on the window sill, she unlocked the handcuffs and carefully extracted Laura’s hands. Once free, her girlfriend slumped into her and she thought to herself for a second before attempting to stand._

_“Help me get her out to the car.”_

_Perry put Laura’s other arm over her shoulder, but stood still. “Laura’s not in any shape to go anywhere.”_

_“We can’t stay here.”_

_Perry knew Carmilla was right. For their own safety, they had to get out of there while they still could. While Ms. Karnstein was gone and before anything else were to happen._

Carmilla and J.P. were in the middle of a debate about which was the best book in a series they both had read when she heard what sounded like light footsteps in the hall. She instantly got to her feet to check it out, and it was indeed Laura, standing in the middle of the hall. Relief like no other washed over her to see the girl up and moving, but concern replaced it quickly. She didn’t want the girl to hurt herself anymore than she already was. After she’d led her back into the bedroom, Carmilla went and got her some pain meds and water, coming back just in time to pull back the covers and help Laura get in the bed. When the girl cried out from pain due to pressure on her back, Carmilla jumped in to help her turn over. She seemed to be a lot more comfortable on her stomach anyway, though Carmilla did know how. Laura was basically hurt everywhere on her upper body, so it was a miracle a “more comfortable” position actually existed. Once settled, she asked if her girlfriend needed anything, to which the answer was no. She was a bit worried when Laura said that she wasn’t hungry, because it’s way past dinnertime now, but she trusted the girl to tell her when she did want something.

She was about to leave her to rest when Laura said that she wanted her to lay with her. Carmilla only hesitated because she didn’t want to hurt her from moving around on the bed or anything, but she could never deny such a simple request. She kept her distance as she laid down and got comfortable. It was hard looking the blonde in the eyes, knowing that she was in pain and that she was the cause of it. Her Mother had done a number on the girl, but she knew from experience that it definitely could have been worse. That was pretty much the only silver-lining in this situation. It’s amazing that there was no bloodshed. Of course, she had most likely planned on having a lot more time to carry out whatever torture she had in mind. Carmilla was lucky she and Perry had gotten there when they had. A minute of silence went by before Laura started moving towards her on the bed.

“Laura, you should stay still. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

The blonde ignored her and a few grunts later, rested her head on Carmilla’s shoulder and wrapped her free arm around her waist, thumb caressing the skin on her stomach from where her shirt rode up.

“Hold me.” She finally said.

As gently as she possibly could, Carmilla circled her arm around Laura’s back, resting her hand on her waist very lightly. The other laid on top of the arm that was now resting on her stomach. There were a few minutes of silence before the girl let out a content sigh and kissed Carmilla’s neck.

“I love you.” She whispered in her ear.

Again, Carmilla bit her lip and closed her eyes tightly to try and keep herself together. With a soft kiss to Laura’s forehead, she whispered back.

“I love you, too.”


	32. Day 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know I usually strictly update on Fridays, but I figured why wait another day when y'all have been wanting an update for about a month now.

It’s been one month. One month since Laura Hollis unexpectedly came into Carmilla Karnstein’s life, turning it upside down and sideways in the best way possible. And here they are, laying in J.P.’s guest room when they should be in Canada by now, far, far away from her Mother. If only she could go back and do everything over. She could have just left a note for her Mother, and she could have packed quicker so they could have left before her Mother showed up. But no, she had wanted to stand up to her face to face. Stupid. Unfortunately, there was no way to go back, and now they are stuck in the aftermath. Twenty-four hours after arriving at J.P.’s apartment, she was still just as down and trapped in her own mind, not being able to stop herself from remembering what was happening when she had burst into the Dungeon and found her Mother assaulting her girlfriend. Laura, on the other hand, hasn’t brought anything about it up. Granted Carmilla had been making her rest as much as possible since. She made sure that Laura only got up to use the bathroom, not wanting to make any injuries worse.

While Laura hated to be bed-ridden, she knew that if she complied to the doctor’s orders and Carmilla’s strict enforcing of those orders, that she would heal much faster than if she disregarded them and took up to walking around the apartment. She still hadn’t seen exactly where they were, never having been here before, but she felt safe. Carmilla was there and so was J.P. most of the time. He had meetings here and there that she had talked him into going to instead of staying there just for her. She didn’t really realize how busy of a guy he was in his day to day life, and honestly she still didn’t exactly understand what he did job-wise. She knew he worked for his father in some capacity, but apparently also did his own thing. But she didn’t ask, not wanting to be nosey. And speaking of being nosey, she could literally almost feel the gears turning in Carmilla’s head as they lay with each other. The TV is on, but mainly for background noise at this point, she knew that Carmilla hadn’t been paying attention to it for a while now. Neither had she though. Both of them were thinking, but not sharing anything.

That was the opposite of what they really should be doing. Laura wanted to talk, but she also wanted to give Carmilla some space. A lot had happened in the last day, and even she has a hard time wrapping her mind around it. But the important thing was that they weren’t at the mansion anymore. She worried about Perry though. Even Kirsch, who she barely knew. But especially Perry. The redhead was Ms. Karnstein’s closest employee, and the older woman had to have known that she aided in her and Carmilla’s escape. In fact, Laura had no idea if Perry was still there, if she’d been fired, or what. Carmilla has been texting someone on and off for the past day, and she assumes that it’s Perry, seeing as the only other person that she texts is J.P., and he’s been there with them part of the time. Of course Laura knows that her girlfriend isn’t purposely keeping this information from her. She’s sure that if she asked, she would get a truthful answer. She guesses that part of her doesn’t want to know what all is happening, because then if it was bad, she’d feel as if it were her fault. Even though nothing that happened is because of her. That's all on Ms. Karnstein.

“I can hear you thinking.” Carmilla said, turning her head slightly and kissing her forehead.

The warm lips against her skin felt good, and she tightened her grip around Carmilla’s waist for a moment. “I could say the same for you.” She replied, then ran her nose up the side of her girlfriend’s neck before placing a kiss under her jaw.

She could feel Carmilla stiffen under her, most likely not expecting being called out on the same thing. They needed to talk, instead of wondering in silence as to what the other is thinking. “Talk to me.” Laura urged gently.

There was a few moments of silence before Carmilla sighed. “I don’t really know what to say.”

She knew the girl wasn’t the best at communication, but she always tried. That’s what counts.

“I just…” She started before her voice broke and she swallowed.

Laura rubbed her thumb on the soft skin at Carmilla’s hip bone in support, not wanting to make a big deal out of her girlfriend’s apparent hard time at getting out her feelings. That would only cause her to retreat. Instead, she stayed quiet, waiting for her to continue.

“I’m sorry. For everything that happened.”

Laura clenched her eyes shut to prevent getting too emotional herself. Shaking her head against Carmilla’s shoulder, she took a deep breath and replied with as strong as a voice as she could muster up. “You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I have everything to apologize for.” She argued. “I promised I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you, and I’ve failed...twice.”

“Twice?” 

“First with that asshole guy at the mall, and now my Mother.”

“Neither of those were your fault. The guy was just like you said, an asshole. And your Mother...she’s not your responsibility. She’s a grown woman who takes pleasure in hurting people. You know this better than anyone.”

Carmilla ignored what Laura said and continued. “We could have just left. I put you in danger by staying, and look where that ended up.”

“You needed to stand up to her. And you did.”

“Yeah, before she tossed me aside and had her way with you.”

Laura had a feeling that Carmilla could argue that it was her fault all day, and truthfully, she just didn’t have the energy for that.  

“Look, you can place the blame on yourself all you want, but it’s going to do nothing but eat at you and prevent you from moving on. Fact of the matter is, we wouldn’t have been in danger at all if your Mother wasn’t an abusive, controlling monster. She hurt me because she chose to, and was going to try to no matter what.”

Laura could see a tear making its way slowly down Carmilla’s cheek, so she reached up and wiped it away, caressing her skin before she continued.

“All we can do now is accept that it happened to move forward, and do what we can to make sure that it won’t happen again to someone else. Is...there any way we can report that she hurt you?”

“Us.” She corrected. “And no. Mother is rich and powerful. Even if I could somehow convince police that she harmed us, nothing would come of it. Have enough money and influence and you can get away with literally anything.”

Laura clenched her jaw. It wasn’t fair. Ms. Karnstein deserved to rot in prison for all the people she’s hurt, and especially for Carmilla. Just another reason why slavery needs to be abolished in the first place. That seems to be the only thing that would affect the woman.

_Buzz, buzz, buzz._

Carmilla reached into the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out her phone, silencing it. “Time for your meds.” She said, then waited for Laura to move off of her.

Once the blonde was comfortable, Carmilla slid off the bed and went out to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. As she was putting ice in the glass, the elevator doors to the apartment opened and J.P. stepped out, talking on his phone and looking stressed out. She filled the glass up with filtered water and passed him by before heading back to the guest room. Laura had since moved onto her back and was trying to sit up, which made Carmilla set the glass down on the nightstand quickly and aided her girlfriend.

“Easy, Cupcake.” She said, and once the blonde was sitting up against the pillows she handed her the glass of water, then entered the bathroom.

She retrieved two pills from the bottle and walked back into the bedroom, handing them over to Laura.

“Thanks.” The girl replied, nearly out of breath just from that small amount of movement.

After she got her breathing back to normal, Laura swallowed the pills and drank the entirety of the water that was in the small glass. Carmilla took it from her afterwards to go fill it back up again, and on her way through the living room this time, J.P. was now off of the phone and throwing himself on the sofa with a sigh. She decided to give him a few moments of quiet before she would attempt to engage him in conversation. She took her time going into the kitchen and filling up the glass. By the time she came back out he had sat himself up and turned on the TV, but kept it at a low volume. As she rounded the sofa he turned and looked at her, giving a small smile.

“Hey. How is she doing?” He asked before she could speak first.

“Better.” She replied, sitting down on the arm of the sofa. “Though she is hating being confined to a bed.”

“I can only imagine." He said, peeling off his fancy work shoes and discarding them on the floor. "But at least it’s only for a couple weeks.”

“I keep reminding her, but that won’t work for long. She’s itching to get up and move around, even if she hurts herself.”

J.P. pursed his lips for a few moments before he shifts more towards Carmilla. “How about we all have a movie night? We can move her out here to the sofa and get her comfortable, order whatever food she wants, and watch whatever she wants.”

“I’ll ask her, and I’m sure she’ll be happy just to be able to move from the bedroom to out here. A slight change of scenery for a little bit will do her good.”

“Cool. I’ll take a shower first, then we can get our night started.”

This time he smiled for real, and she felt that they all could use a fun night to take their minds off of what was bothering each of them.

“Hey, you okay? When you came in, you looked stressed.”

He shrugged. “Just my dad. He was asking about how things were going with you, so I think it’s safe to say that he doesn’t know what happened with you guys and your Mother.”

“Yeah, Mother won’t admit that she couldn’t get me to do what she wanted until she’s backed into a corner. She probably thinks that there is still something that she can do, which scares me a bit.”

“Well, you’re safe here. And my family has to face the music about things not working out eventually.”

That was another thing that she was nervous about. She knew how her Mother thought for the most part, but she had no idea what J.P.’s family would do once they found out that she just decided to leave the country and not marry their son. J.P. didn’t seem too worried, but parents could be unpredictable, especially when desperate. It wasn’t just the relationship of their son that was at stake, their companies wouldn’t merge, and while that didn’t seem like such a huge issue since they were both extremely rich without each other to begin with, they...or at least her Mother, had been dead set on making it happen. God, she was going to get a headache just thinking about it. But for tonight, she wanted to enjoy herself, so she had to push those thoughts to the back of her mind as she stood up and finally took the new glass of water to Laura.

“Sorry I took so long.” She said, handing the now sweating glass over. “J.P. just got home and suggested we have a movie night. How does that sound?”

Laura finished taking a sip before answering. “I suppose he didn’t mean a movie night at the actual theater, huh?”

“Sorry, Creampuff. The living room is as far as you’ll be going.”

The blonde looked like she was pondering this for a few seconds before nodding. “That’s better than going nowhere at all.”

“That’s it, look on the bright side.”

“I’m gonna have to for next two weeks.”

“It will be over before you know it.”

Carmilla knew that was a lie. They had only been there just over a day and she was already going stir crazy. Time would no doubt pass pretty damn slow. Which was funny. Though not in the funny ha-ha sense (they usually could stay in bed for most the day and be content), but now that she was hurt, all she wanted to do was be up and doing things. Carmilla decided that it was most likely because she wanted to be in Toronto already. They both did, but not being able to because of something that an awful person did her her was just the icing on the shit cake that they currently had. She didn’t know what they would have done without J.P. on their side. He was a lifesaver. Sure, they could have gotten to a hotel, called the nearest hospital and made arrangements for a house call, but J.P. was the support they needed. It was nice having someone care enough about you to to take you in when you’re in trouble and have on your side in a situation where the odds are stacked against you. If she had been forcefully matched with anyone other than J.P., Carmilla was a hundred percent sure that they wouldn’t be where they are now. Free of her Mother’s grasp.

It was just an hour later that she helped Laura slowly move into the living room, setting her up at the end of the sofa where it extended out and she could lay down like she was in bed. Pillows surrounded her to make it more comfortable, and even though it was still basically a bed, Carmilla knew that the girl was trying to make the best of it. They ended up ordering Chinese food, though Laura could barely decide between that and pizza in the end. What can she say, the girl loves her pizza. But they hadn’t had Chinese since that one date, and once she started thinking about it, Carmilla could tell that she was craving it. So a big order of lo mein, egg rolls, crab rangoon, and rice was spread out on the coffee table as they ate and watched a few classic black and white horror movies. Believe it or not, that was Laura’s choice. After J.P. said that he had a few favorites, and since her girlfriend had never seen anything like them before, she thought it was the perfect time. She just hoped it wouldn't keep her up at night because some of this shit was kinda creepy.

“Can someone pass me a fork, using chopsticks takes too much brain power.” Laura said defeated as she put her chopsticks down.

Carmilla had chuckled, then paused the movie before she got up and went into the kitchen, pulling out a silver fork from one of the drawers. Perfect timing, because J.P.’s phone rang not ten seconds after, and he politely excused himself before disappearing into the hallway. Handing the fork over, Carmilla sat next to Laura this time instead of settling back into her place on the floor in front of the sofa where she had been just moments ago. The blonde gratefully took the fork and started to lean towards her before stopping, cringing in pain. She kept doing that, forgetting that she’s hurt. Saving her more discomfort, Carmilla leaned over and kissed Laura on the lips in a quick peck. It was their first proper kiss since everything happened, feeling like she didn’t deserve Laura’s affection. But that feeling was subsiding as she kept reminding herself of Laura's words. That it wasn’t her fault, it was her Mother’s fault. Not hers. Just as she laid her head down on her girlfriend’s shoulder, J.P. came back into the room, but instantly she knew something was wrong. He was frowning and looked like he didn’t quite want to tell her something. However, Carmilla was expecting something totally different than what actually came out of his mouth.

“I just got a call from the building management.” He started. “Apparently an unknown man was seen trying to get into the building.”


	33. Day 38

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters this week?! Yes! Because I love you all.

It’s been one week since the night that J.P. received the first phone call from the building management that notified him that a strange man had tried to enter the building. Since then, the man had been seen two more times attempting to enter in different areas, only to be seen and chased after by security, but never caught. While J.P. has tried to offer a plausible explanation, Carmilla knew in her gut that it was someone her Mother had hired to...well, either scare her or bring her back to the mansion. The question was, how had he known where to find her? Unfortunately, it had slipped Carmilla’s mind that she had LoJack on her car, and that basically made it the easiest possible way to find her. As soon as she remembered that, J.P. had gone out to the street and drove her car up into the parking garage where he had one available space in his name. He removed the device once he found it and thoroughly smashed it before dumping the pieces in the trash. Even though Ms. Karnstein already knew where she was, she wouldn’t be able to track their whereabouts now. Or, at least not that way. Carmilla figured since there was a guy poking around, there was most likely someone hired to tail them if they went anywhere else. So a plan hatched from there.

“You’re decoys will drive your car out of the parking garage and will weave their way through the city until they get to the storage units, where your car will be parked and stored for the time being.” J.P. said, pointing to the location on a map. “A few minutes after they leave here, you and Laura will be driven in the opposite direction to the airport by my assistant Theo.”

“God, this sounds like something right out of a movie.” Carmilla shook her head, not quite believing they were going to do this.

“Gotta do what we gotta do.” He replied.

Carmilla sighed and looked over his shoulder to the sofa where Laura was currently resting. She still didn’t want to move her in fear of hurting her further, but this seemed to be there best option for now. And if they waited, she couldn’t help but imagine what would happen if the strange man actually did make it into the building. Yeah, they had beefed up security, but anything was possible. And if Laura hadn’t been walking pretty well on her own by now, then this whole thing would be out of the question. But there was this urgency that there wasn’t before. She just thought they would have a little bit more time to rest and actually relax, but she should have known her Mother wouldn’t let them if she could help it.

“Okay. Sounds like it might actually work.” She finally said, pushing her hair out of her eyes.

“Of course it will work, it’s my idea after all.” He winked, then rolled up the map, leaving the dining table bare again.

Getting up, she made her way over to Laura and sat down softly beside her before leaning over and kissing her shoulder.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay to move around so much?”

“Carm, I’ll be fine.” She reassured, taking Carmilla’s hand in hers.

She really hoped so. The plane tickets were already bought, their clothes had been washed and repacked, so now they were just waiting for evening to come. Carmilla had purposely chosen a late night flight so they could sneak around better in the dark, and hopefully when they made it to the airport, people would be too tired or preoccupied that they wouldn’t recognize her. But for now, they waited. It was nearly sunset when J.P.’s assistant Theo arrived with the decoy girls in tow. Apparently they had hid in the back of his car, out of sight when they arrived so whoever was most likely watching the building wouldn’t recognize them later on as not being her and Laura. The two were clearly friends of Theo’s, and who are under the impression that they are just helping a well known person out by distracting their stalker. Close enough. Carmilla was just happy they were helping...even though they were probably getting paid for it. While her nerves were fluttering around like butterflies in her stomach, J.P. ordered pizzas and the mood started to calm her down. And it was easier to take her mind off the whole situation when Laura was shoving nearly a whole slice of pizza in her mouth, which Carmilla promptly giggled at before telling her to slow down. She really did have the cutest girlfriend ever.

Everything was fine until they all started to get ready. Carmilla and Laura’s bags had been taken down to Theo’s car and J.P. went over everything with everyone looking at the map at the kitchen table. Wanting to get to the airport at least an hour early and factoring in traffic, they planned to leave about fifteen minutes til ten. Ten minutes before that, the two decoy girls left, and Carmilla watched them drive her car off down the street from the dark guest bedroom. It was hard to tell if they were being followed since there was still some traffic, but she crossed her fingers. Once saying goodbye to J.P. again, and hopefully for the last time, Laura put on her collar and they went to meet Theo in the parking garage. When they got out of the elevator, the car was pulled up close, waiting for them. Carmilla opened the door and got in first, that way she could help Laura get situated if she needed. As the blonde had said many times, she was fine, and she actually looked fine as she got in without much difficulty. Her body was still obviously not back to a hundred percent, but she was definitely getting there. And as soon as the door was shut behind her, the car turned and moved toward the ramp.

It was a bit hard for Carmilla to sort out her feelings though. On one hand, she was anxious about the plan not working. On the other, she was excited that they were on their way to the airport, finally starting their journey to Toronto. She knew that Laura was eager as well. Carmilla knew that she wanted to see her dad more than anything, even though that would have to wait just a bit longer. The blonde had to because she didn’t want her father to know that she was hurt, so it was best to wait until she could walk around on her own and not clearly in pain before the big reunion. Thankfully the meds worked for the most part, but of course, the pain wasn’t gone all the way. Resting had aided tremendously in her healing, and that would continue once they reached their hotel after landing. The tinted windows of the car eased Carmilla’s mind as well as they slipped out of the parking garage and onto the street. She purposefully sat low though, and Laura slumped against her. They stayed like that for a good five minutes before Theo said that he hadn’t noticed anyone following them, so they sat up properly and finished the last ten minutes of the ride to the airport.

When they arrived, Theo assisted in getting their bags out of the car and onto the sidewalk. Carmilla and Laura both thanked him for helping and shook his hand. He just smiled and offered a curt nod before turning on his heel and striding back to the car. Moving fast, Carmilla got their bags checked before they went through security. As they waited for their plane, they sat in two chairs in the VIP lounge, looking out the glass windows that covered the entire outer wall all the way around, watching as planes came and went in the darkness. It was chilly in there, causing goosebumps on Laura’s arms, so Carmilla unzipped their only carry-on that held her laptop, other electronic accessories, and their hoodies. Handing one over, she helped the blonde into it. After that, they went back to silence, both tired. Time seemed to be moving slower. She couldn’t help looking at her watch for the third time in five minutes, and seeing how slowly the hands ticked. She groaned and sunk down into her chair, letting her head thump against the back. Laura on the other hand, seemed content with watching what was happening outside the window. Clearly she had more patience than Carmilla. Which after this week of being annoyed that she was stuck in bed, is something Carmilla never thought she would see.

“What do you call when you’re sick of being in the airport?” Carmilla asked, exasperated.

Laura frowned and thought for a moment before shrugging.

“ _Terminal_ illness.”

Her girlfriend smiled and shook her head before wrapping both arms around her right one and resting her head against her shoulder. A few moments passed before she felt Laura giggle to herself.

“What’s so funny, Creampuff?”

“Just thinking about a joke my dad used to tell.”

“Well then, let’s hear it.”

Laura clears her throat. “Why don’t ducks tell jokes when they fly?”

“Uh...I don’t know. Why?”

“Because they would _quack_ up.”

Okay, it was such a dad joke, but she couldn’t help the chuckle that came out.

“You’re too cute for your own good, sometimes.”

Laura looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. “Only sometimes?”

Carmilla only responded with leaning down and kissing the blonde.

By the time their flight was being called to board, both Carmilla and Laura were yawning and dragging themselves toward the gate. She didn’t even remember actually getting on the plane, just buckling up, making sure that Laura was comfortable with a pillow and blanket, and both of them falling asleep before the plane even took off. Usually they wouldn’t be so tired, but Carmilla, nervous about the whole plan, had tossed and turned most the night, resulting in unfortunately keeping Laura up too. She was just happy that they had ten whole hours to sleep on the plane if they wanted to. Sure, it would fuck their sleeping schedules up, but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed. They would be arriving around three o’clock in the morning, and going straight to the hotel after being picked up by a driver, which she arranged a few days ago. Carmilla could have sworn that she had only just closed her eyes when turbulence woke her up. Wiping her eyes before looking down at her watch, she was surprised to find that she had only slept for a little over the first half of the flight. Luckily Laura was still asleep, so she went to the bathroom before getting back in her seat and turning on her phone to play some games, but saw messages waiting for her. Games would have to wait.

_ J.P. Armitage (11:50pm): Your car is safely in the stage unit. Just let me when you want it to be shipped over. _

_ J.P. Armitage (11:54pm): Oh, and the the decoys reported noticing a black car following them, so it looks like the plan worked. And they managed to lose the person before getting to the storage units, so no one but us should know that’s where it is. _

Good. That’s one less thing to worry about.

_ Perry (11:02am): Remember to text when you land or get to your hotel! _

Opening her Messages app, she tapped on J.P.’s name and texted him back first. At first seeing the time on her phone confused her because it should be later, but then she remembered fucking timezones.

_ Carmilla (12:34am): Thanks. For everything. This whole circumstance would be vastly different if it weren’t for your help. I owe you more than words can express. _

_ Carmilla (12:35am): I know we’ve only known each other a little while, but you’re kinda like my best friend. Or whatever. Don’t get a big head about it. _

_ Carmilla (12:36am): Talk to you soon. _

Yeah, she really didn’t know how to talk to people. But she tried. She didn’t expect him to answer back since it was after four in the morning back in Graz, so she closed the conversation window and opened a puzzle game. Sadly, the longevity wasn’t much more than a few games before she was bored and closed out of it. Her head fell back against the seat and she looked down the aisle. Most everyone was sleeping or reading and probably wishing they were sleeping. She was still tired, so her best best was just going back to sleep. Which she did, not before getting a cute picture of Laura smashed up against the window, with half her face buried in the pillow. Putting on her own jacket, she pulled the hood up and put her sunglasses on. Sure, she looked like the unabomber, but she was still worried that maybe someone would recognize her, and this was her best disguise available. Crossing her arms over her chest, she let the constant hum of the plane lull her back to dreamland.

“Meine Damen und Herren, hier spricht Ihr Kapitän…” A soft voice woke her up.

A few moments went by before she realized it was the pilot, and that they were just about to land at Toronto Pearson International Airport Authority. Yeah that was a bit of a mouthful. Taking off her sunglasses, she yawned and stretched. Her legs were stiff and her back hurt, but once she looked over and saw Laura smiling as she looked out the window, she didn’t care. Her girlfriend looked like an excited child trying to keep their cool with the knowledge that they were going to Disneyworld. She was just happy that Laura was happy. They were seated near the back of the plane, so they both waited until most of the people were out of the aisle and off of the plane before standing up and following suit. Later, after waiting twenty minutes for their bags to come around, they found their driver in the crowd of people and finally stepped foot on Toronto soil. They kept their hoodies on, it being a comfortable seventy degrees, and slipped into the car as the driver put their luggage in the trunk. Carmilla had booked a hotel room in Toronto’s entertainment district, hoping that there would be at least something worthwhile for Laura to look at when she’s stuck in bed. Twenty-five minutes later, they arrived.

It was a mostly red, brick building that wasn’t too tall...or too fancy looking. She’d wanted to stay in something a bit nicer, but Laura had said that it would have been a waste of money. That she didn’t need anything fancy, just comfortable. It made Carmilla realize how overindulged she was, remembering that Laura didn’t grow up with much. But that’s why she wanted to spoil her. In the end, she did as the blonde asked. It wasn’t the most expensive place, but she wasn’t going to go cheap either. It was a compromise. And once they got to their room, Carmilla shot off a text to Perry, saying that had made it safely, and Laura walked over to the window and smiled at the view of the CN Tower a few blocks away. She couldn’t help but come up behind her, unsnapping that god-awful collar, tossing it on a nearby table, and kissing her neck as her hands gently rested on Laura’s hips. This was it. The start of their new life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to shitlikelifehappens for correcting the German, because Google Translate cannot be trusted.


	34. Day 45

A soft rustling greeted Laura as she woke up. Opening her eyes, she winced and closed them again, rubbing them. She hadn’t expected the far side of the curtain to be open so early, letting the bright morning light in. This time when she opened her eyes again, she shielded them, putting her hand in front of the intense light as she sat up. Just over the end of the bed, she could see Carmilla on the floor, moving a bit frantically back and forth every few seconds. Curious, Laura leaned forward, letting her hands drop to the bed as she crawled to the end and looked over Carmilla’s shoulder. On the floor in front of the girl was a large canvas laying on some newspapers, and Carmilla was painting away. She knew that her girlfriend used to paint, but hadn’t in quite a while. She’d seen the paintings that had hung in her bedroom at the mansion and always wanted to ask about it, or even suggest that she should start painting again, but she never had. It seemed too insensitive to just tell someone that they should create something just because she wanted to see her in action. Especially since she never talked about why she had quit in the first place. 

But Laura couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face as she watched Carmilla mix colors and brush them onto the crisp white canvas. Something had changed. Pinks, purples, and blues made up a magical frame of what looked like space nebula, and white flecks for stars were added after she finished covering what was left of the blank canvas. She didn’t know how long she sat there watching Carmilla work, but it was mesmerizing. The raven-haired girl was clearly in another world, not noticing Laura watching. It wasn’t until she put her brush down and sat back, taking a few moments to look at her work that Laura seized the opportunity and leaned forward, kissing her on the temple. Carmilla nearly jumped out of her hyde and her hand flew to her chest before letting out a heaving breath. Laura apologized, trying to conceal a giggle, and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend’s neck, pulling her back until she was resting against the bed. A slightly cold hand came up and caressed Laura’s arm, thumb gently rubbing against her skin. 

“How long have you been up?” Carmilla asked once she calmed down.

“Um, I don’t know.” Laura muttered into her shoulder. “I kind of lost time while watching you work. Maybe fifteen minutes.”

“Oh. I didn’t realize…”

“Yeah, you were kind of in your own little world there.”

“Sorry. I just...woke up and had an urge to paint.”

It was more than an urge. Carmilla had woken up and tried to go back to sleep, but she couldn’t. There had been something nagging at her her brain, not leaving her alone until she listened to it. Her fingers itched, wanting a brush, so she quietly snuck out of the room and to the nearest supply store that her phone directed her to. There, she may have gone overboard, buying new paints, brushes, and canvases. When she got back, Laura was still asleep, so she figured there was no better time to start. she laid down the newspaper from that day underneath the canvas, just in case the paint ran over the sides or if she had a clumsy moment, not wanting to mess up the pristine white carpet of the hotel, and got to work. She hadn’t produced anything in months, but it was like riding a bike. Once she got back on it, she flew. Everything around her was forgotten as she focused on her brush strokes. It felt good. So good. She had missed creating things, and she was going to take advantage of the sudden burst of inspiration for as long as she could. Though that may be hard with the blonde, especially now that lips had found her cheek, leaving soft pecks here and there until she gave in and half turned around, finally kissing her on the mouth. 

Carmilla pulled away first, rubbing their noses together for a moment before she spoke again. “You shouldn’t be bending like that. How are your ribs?”

“Carm, I’m okay. I promise.”

It has been two weeks since the whole debacle with her Mother, and while Laura still experienced pain when too much pressure was put on the areas where she got the most damage, she was basically back to her old self. Enough so that they finally went out the previous night for the first time since arriving. They grabbed dinner at a burrito place and stopped by to get a few things from a nearby store, their stash of toiletries needing to be replenished badly. 

“Can we go somewhere today?” Laura asked quietly.

“Where did you have in mind?”

“Nowhere specific, really. I’ve never been most places in the city since I lived further out.”

“Well, I still have yet to get our new IDs. Though it may be boring, you could come with me to the Ontario Legislative Building.”

To her surprise, Laura jumped at the chance, saying anything was better than staying the stupid hotel room. Which was probably true. She hated that the girl felt so cooped up, but she had just been looking out for her and following doctor's orders. But Carmilla was quickly realizing just how strong Laura is. Not that she hadn’t thought she was before, of course she did, but there was just something about how she only wanted to be able to go out and experience the world again, rather than spend her time being angry or plotting revenge against the woman who hurt her. Maybe that last thought was just Carmilla projecting. These past two weeks she had fantasized what it would be like to get even with her Mother, but she couldn’t go down that road. She tried to be the opposite of what her Mother had tried to make her into, and that wouldn’t change now. What was better than getting even? Being happy. Which is something Carmilla was pretty sure her Mother had never actually felt in her life. It’s sad, really. How someone can hold so much greed and hatred in themselves. She wondered if it would even be possible to come back from that. Not that she had any hope whatsoever about her Mother all of a sudden regretting her selfish and horrible decisions over the past seventeen years. 

Letting that thought go, she worked on cleaning up her art project while Laura showered and got ready. She laid her painting on the table by the window to dry and cleaned out her brushes at the sink just outside of the bathroom, where she could hear Laura humming to herself. Once she was done, Carmilla put her supplies to the side and changed her clothes and tamed her hair as much as she could, running her hand through the thick waves. Soon enough, she hear the hair dryer going at full power and switched on the TV to see the forecast for that day. It would be 14 degrees celsius, so they would still need their jackets. Picking up her phone from the nightstand, she unplugged the cord from the wall and unlocked the screen and opening the Google Maps app. From there she figure out that it was about a thirty minute walk or five minute drive (without traffic) from where they were staying to the Legislative Building, which apparently sits right up against the University of Toronto - St. George Campus. She didn’t look any deeper into it, because she wanted to see everything for herself for the first time with Laura.

“I wish it were summer, I would have liked to walk.” Laura said as they stepped out of the hotel twenty minutes later.

“Well, summer is just around the corner. It will be here before you know it.” Carmilla replied, before opening the door to the orange and turquoise taxi that was waiting for them.

“Where to, ladies?” The man with white hair and a white goatee to match asked as he turned around in his seat and gave them a warm smile.

“The Legislative Building, please.” Carmilla said as she buckled up.

“You got it.” He nodded and turned back around, set the meter, and pulled away from the curb. 

Both girls looked out the windows as they passed by modern buildings, which is something Carmilla really wasn’t used to. When she traveled it was usually somewhere in Europe and obviously they have a rich history and they don’t really build too modern things that would just not fit in with the rest of it. Here, they were surrounded by steel and glass. Hell, one building even looked like it was covered completely in mirrors. It wasn’t her taste, but it was interesting. Something different. Before she knew it, the cab pulled over to another curb. Just before them was a large campus looking area. The grass was short and light green, and the trees were just now starting to get some leaves on them again, so the building they were heading to was clearly visible. She thanked the driver, paid him, and her and Laura crossed the street and hopped up onto the sidewalk. Immediately, Laura was walking over to a statue that was erected at the end of the long cement path that lead straight to the place they needed to go. It’s an asymmetrical, Richardsonian Romanesque style building with large windows, made out of pink-ish bricks of sandstone. And over the edifice, a number of carvings can be seen.

This was the oldest looking piece of architecture that Carmilla had seen since they got here. It almost instantly made her feel just a tad bit more comfortable with being in a completely unfamiliar place. Feeling an arm loop around hers, she was guided toward the beautiful building. It was moments like this that she wondered what her and Laura looked like from other people’s perspectives. The collar around her girlfriend’s neck was hidden by a scarf, and they were walking close together, like any other normal couple would. She savored it for as long as she could, because when they got to the entrance, there was a sign that said it was mandatory for slaves coming in to be collared and on a leash. She sighed to herself as Laura unwrapped her scarf. Carmilla had been too distracted as they had left their hotel room, she’d forgotten to grab the leash just in case. Fortunately, they didn’t have to go back and get it, seeing as how there was a rack beside the sign with a plethora of leashes for people to borrow. She reached over and picked one up, a black, leather one, and gently hooked it onto Laura’s collar. As always, she barely held onto it and was extra careful not to tug on it as they made their way inside.

When they walked in, they were greeted with a map of the building and quickly found that where they wanted to be on on the fourth floor. When they stepped into the elevator, shared by a few other people, Carmilla noticed that the woman closest to Laura made a disgusted face when she saw the collar and not so obviously moved away from them. Oh how she wanted to give the woman a piece of her mind, but she didn’t want to start trouble. So she just took Laura’s hand her hers, pulling her close as she kept her eyes straight forward, avoiding seeing another repulsed face from the woman or the other few people in the elevator with them. She let out a sigh of relief when there was the sound of a bing and the doors opened. Stepping out and looking around, there was a sign to the right. She instantly found her directions: IDENTIFICATION CARDS - ROOM 402 --->. Following the arrow, they slipped into the hall on the right and found it instantly. On either side of the hallway were a line of about ten chairs. She supposed that there was not a need for a separate waiting room if the queue never got that long. There was one person already in a chair on their side, and presumably already someone in the actual office. Keeping a hold of Laura’s hand, they took the next two seats to wait.

On the other side of the hall, a bald man with hipster glasses (that he was too old to pull off) immediately scoffed at them and crossed one of his legs over the other. “Would you please keep your slave on the floor where it belongs.”

Carmilla looked up and stared back at him with a fiery gaze. “She’s a human, not a dog. And she is right where she belongs.”

“It’s proper slave etiquette!” He nearly yelled as grimaced. “No one would want to sit in that chair now.”  


She raised an eyebrow. “Boo hoo.”

Laura looked about as comfortable as Carmilla felt. Why couldn’t people just mind their own business? It wasn’t hurting anyone. And to think that another person sitting in a chair like an actual human being was bothersome enough to say something. 

“Security!?” He called down the hall where they had come from.

A few seconds later, a security guard came around the corner, walking leisurely, hands on belt. “Is there a problem, Sir?” She asked in a low drawl, sounding kind of bored, like she deals with this kind of thing all day every day.

“Yes.” He replied, smiling as if he won something. “Would you please tell this girl to get her slave off of the furniture, it really is unsanitary.” 

Carmilla’s cheeks burned. Was this really happening? She felt Laura’s hand tighten in hers.

The woman looked at Carmilla, then at Laura, then back to the bald man. “I’m sorry, Sir, but there are no rules where slaves should be kept in the building. And she looks squeaky clean to me.”

Was...the woman actually on their side?

“There may be no...rules, but as I said to her before I called you, it’s proper slave etiquette.”

“I’m not getting paid to enforce etiquette, Sir.” She lifted up her baseball cap that read ONTARIO LEGISLATIVE BUILDING SECURITY on it in white, all capital letter,readjusting it before pulling it back down. “If they are not doing anything illegal, there is nothing I can do. But if it bothers you so much, I would be happy to escort you down to the front desk to make an appointment for another time, so there would be no waiting in the hall at all.”

By now, the man’s smile had turned back to a frown, looking up at the woman with disbelief before finding his words again. “No...thank you. I’m next anyway. Would be a waste of both of our time.” And just like that, he was back to his snobbish self, crossing his arms now and looking in the opposite direction of her, Laura, and the security guard.

“You all have a nice day.” Was all the woman said before lumbering back down the hall to her post.

“I can’t believe how low society has sunk.” He muttered to himself, shaking his dome-like head, the smooth surface catching the light from the above fixtures, making it shine like a polished bowling ball. “Even the government buildings don’t have proper standards anymore.”

Thankfully, it was then that room 400 opened and a large woman ushered the man inside of the office. Carmilla deflated, still staring at the door he had disappeared into. And only after a few moments of silence, room 401 opened as well, and the man beside Carmilla got up and entered.

“That was…” Laura spoke as soon as the door closed, but couldn’t finish her sentence.

“Awful? Disrespectful? Uncalled for?” Carmilla said, trying to help.

“All of the above.” The blonde replied before laying her head on Carmilla’s shoulder.

It was things like this that made her lose all hope in humanity. It made her truly question if people’s minds really were changing. Sure, the woman security guard seemed unbiased, but that was probably just a part of her job. It made Carmilla wonder how accurate the worldwide polls about slavery actually were. If anti-slavery supporters really were gaining in numbers, how come she never saw any of them? Where were they when assholes were shaming slaves? She tried to remind herself of something J.P. said one night. That the loudest voices are usually the most ignorant. That’s what they needed to change. With the upcoming progressive movement that her, Laura, and J.P. would be a part of, they had to make their voices louder than the hatred and speak up when they see shit like that take place. Maybe she deserved to give herself some credit though. She had in fact stood up to the man, he just wasn’t having any of it, which rendered her speechless. She didn’t exactly know how to deal with confrontation. It scared her, to he honest, because every time in her life that it came to that, she always got hurt. Not this time. Or she was just lucky. Even so, she actually felt just a tad bit stronger because she actually said something. And who knows, maybe what she said affected the man who had been sitting beside her. Maybe not. The point is, she tried. And in life, that’s all you really can do.


	35. Day 46

There was just something about waking up next to Laura that Carmilla couldn’t quite put her finger on. It was just so much more enjoyable than it had been before, which she hadn’t thought possible. It was a combination of the knowledge that they were both free from her Mother, and being genuinely happy. Not that she wasn’t happy before, but there was always the thought of her Mother looming over them. Now that everything was done with, both of them could now just focus on moving forward. So far, they hadn’t done much yet. Mainly because Laura had been recovering. But now that was coming to an end, and their future was opening up for them more than ever. Soon they’d find a house or apartment, Laura would reunite with her Dad, and all will be well for both of them for the first time in a long time. Untangling herself from her adorably clingy girlfriend, Carmilla turned over, rubbed her eyes, and snatched her phone off the nightstand. Unlocking it, she checked her messages. 

Perry had been keeping her up to date on what was happening back in Austria. After then left, miraculously her Mother hadn’t fired Perry, but a few days had passed before the redhead just couldn’t bring herself to work for the woman anymore. So she put in her two weeks notice and informed Kirsch to what had happened, which caused him to put in his two weeks notice as well. Carmilla knew that her Mother must be absolutely furious by this point, and she wasn’t going to lie and say that didn’t make her pretty damn happy. She just worried about her two friends and what they planned to do next. Both had been paid very well, so they each had nice nest eggs, but it wouldn't last for forever. Kirsch said he had wanted to enjoy sleeping in for a while, so he wasn’t in any rush to job hunt. Perry, however, had always been one to hate just sitting around and doing nothing. Of course Carmilla had offered again for her to join them here in Toronto, but the redhead still wasn’t sure. It was a big move to a strange place just for a friend, so she could understand the woman’s hesitance. 

In truth, she was still nervous with it just being her and Laura here. Yeah, the mansion itself she would never miss, but Perry and Kirsch had been in her life for years, so of course she missed their presence. Maybe this was just another part of her that had to grow up. Branch out. Make friends. The thought of that made her heart start to pound. It made her anxious just thinking about it. But you know what, that wasn’t the priority right now, Laura is. And almost as if on cue, Carmilla felt a warm hand on her back. That simple touch comforted her like nothing else. Choosing to respond to Perry later, Carmilla set her phone back down and rolled over, tucking one hand under her pillow, the other wrapping around Laura’s waist, bringing her closer so that they could cuddle again. Seconds later, that same warm hand slipped into her hair, and nails gently scratched her head, just the way she liked it. It made her sink into the blonde further (and may or may not have made her let out a sound that was similar to a pur), receiving a sleepy giggle and kiss on her temple in return. They stayed like that for a while, neither wanting to leave the comfort of the bed and each other’s arms. 

Carmilla had almost fallen back to sleep when a soft pair of lips found the base of her throat. She instantly knew the intent behind them was different than it had been in the past two weeks. Instead of quick, light pecks, these were long, open-mouth kisses that sucked at her skin. Her eyes flew open and she could feel her cheeks heat up. As the girl made her way up Carmilla’s neck, past her jaw, and to the intended target of her ear, she bit down on it and gently pulled at the skin. It was enough to make her swallow hard and nearly forget her own name. And just as she started to wonder what brought this on all of a sudden, Laura’s hand found its way out of her hair and down her torso, underneath her shirt. Her body instantly responded with goosebumps, and butterflies made themselves known in her stomach. Breathing normally quickly became a task in itself, and she was so focused on keeping herself in check that she didn’t even notice that the blonde had slipped her fingers underneath her sports bra until she tenderly but firmly cupped her breast. A shiver ran up her spine as the girl’s thumb swiped across her nipple, making it hard. 

She didn’t exactly know where this sudden surge of confidence from Laura came from, but she definitely wasn’t complaining. It was obviously something both of them have wanted, even before Laura got hurt, they were arguably doing things more intimate than this. Pleasuring each other by grinding was more sexual, but this was much more sensual. Nothing was rushed, neither of them were frantically working towards a specific goal. Laura just seemed to want to explore, and Carmilla was completely fine with it. In fact, she wanted to get in on it as well, but all these sensations made it hard to concentrate. With a lick and final kiss to her ear, Laura moveed to straddle her hips, and she releases her hand from under her shirt, dragging her nails down Carmilla’s stomach before sitting up. She wants nothing more than to reach up and touch Laura too, but she’s nervous, so she starts small. Her hands make their way up the blonde’s bare legs and finally up to where her loose pajama shorts begin. Instead of letting her fingers make their way underneath the fabric, she continues upward and finally rests them at her hips, teasing the hem of the girl’s night shirt.

She was as careful as can be when the tips of her fingers found soft, heated skin, knowing there was still some faint bruising there. Laura took a swift intake of breath and ground her hips down on Carmilla’s groin. Goosebumps popped up on quivering stomach, and Carmilla was in awe of the effect that the tiniest gestures from her caused. Even after all the times they’ve been intimate with each other, she still thought it was weird the girl found her desirable. It was something she never thought that she would be to someone else. Bringing her out of her thoughts, Laura leaned down, placing both hands on either side of Carmilla’s head, and kissed her on the lips. She couldn’t help it when he hands slid around to her girlfriend’s back, and hugged her body close, while being mindful of her shoulders. Just then, she swore she heard a faint knock on the door, but she couldn’t be sure, and her mind was too busy processing the tongue that made its way into her mouth. When it retreated, Carmilla surged forward and bit down on Laura’s bottom lip before she flipped them over, making sure most of her weight was on her arms rather than on Laura.

It turned out that there was a knock at the door after all, this time it was much louder. Pulling away from her girlfriend with a half sigh, half groan, she stumbled out of bed and tried to make her hair and clothes relatively presentable by the time that she opened the door. It turned out to be a guy from the shipping company that J.P. had hired to ship her car over. She had already paid, so he left her with the keys and some paperwork. The whole exchange only lasted maybe a minute, but by the time she closed the door, her mood had drastically changed. Why did they always have to be interrupted? Tossing the items on the table, she returned to the now empty bed, and heard the sound of the shower running in the bathroom. Well, seeing as they’re both up now, Carmilla took her laptop out of her backpack and booted it up. She Googled for places to eat breakfast nearby, and while she was at it, made a reservation for next week at the CN Tower’s 360 Restaurant as a surprise for Laura’s birthday. She only knew this because it was on her ID card, the girl herself hadn’t said anything about it as of yet. Carmilla hoped that she would like the surprise and the activity afterward. 

Once she was done with that, she made a point to text J.P. before she forgot, letting him know that her car had arrived, and thanking him again for everything. Checking her other messages, there were a few from Perry saying that she had found a small apartment in town to stay in, and would be living there for at least the next six months so she could figure out what it is that she wanted to do next. And even Kirsch had sent her a message, saying that he felt terrible about how he hadn’t been there to help her and Laura when they had needed it. Or the past few years when shit had been happening to Carmilla on a regular basis and he’d done nothing to help. Carmilla wrote him back as much of a reassuring message as she could muster. It wasn’t his fault that her Mother was an asshole, and it wouldn't have been something to lose his job over. She ended it with saying that she hoped to see him again in the near future and that she would love to keep in touch. 

Once all was taken care of, she dressed, having showered the night before, and waited for Laura to finish getting ready. Carmilla had found some candidates for breakfast, she showed them to Laura and had her pick which one they were going to. But since the blonde had never eaten at any of the places, she decided on going with the name she liked best, which ended up being Boom Breakfast & Co, located in the Little Italy area of Toronto. They took her car, which she was more than happy to see what still in pristine condition, and drove the twenty minutes (no thanks to traffic) to their destination. Boom Breakfast & Co. was a small, blue building where the bottom half looked liked a restaurant, but the top half looked like part of a house was put on top of it. And on one of the windows read: KEEP CALM AND EAT WAFFLES. It was quaint, and thankfully there were no warnings on the outside of the building about leashes or collars even. When they stepped in, it was almost like they had entered a different world. As they walked to where they were going to be seated, Carmilla noticed that collars were sitting on the table, shoved to the side for the time being, and you couldn't tell who was a slave and who was the owner. It was different from anything she’d experienced before. 

In Austria, even on the rare occasion when there were no slave rules in a certain store or restaurant, owners still made their slaves wear the collars no matter what. Maybe things were indeed changing. She’d heard Canada was pretty tame when it came to slavery, but her experience with the bald man at the Legislative Building the other day had gotten her spirits down. This small little restaurant was the push she needed that made her believe that things really could change. She watched the patrons talk and smile with each other, their collars long forgotten. At least until they had to go back outside. It made Carmilla want to do some research about Canada, but Toronto specifically since that’s where they planned on staying for now. It had to be more progressive than Austria, most places in the Western world are, and Canada has a reputation of being a place of acceptance. It was one of the first countries to legalize marriage equality for heaven’s sake. They had to be more ahead of the times on the slave issue as well...right?

“Good morning, ladies. Can I get you something to drink?” The waitress said as she stopped beside their table, with a smile on her face and a pen and paper in her hands.

Carmilla had almost forgotten where she was when the waitress interrupted her thoughts. She recovered quickly, asking for water, while Laura opted for chocolate milk. She still found it hard to concentrate enough to read her menu when a bunch of thoughts were swirling around her head. Could they be happy here? Were people’s minds really changing about the slave culture? Could the coming anti-slavery movement actually win? Once Laura saw her Dad again, would she realize that she’s only fooled herself into thinking that she loves her to survive? If the anti-slavery laws do pass, without her legal ownership of Laura, would the blonde love her enough to stay? So many questions plagued her that it was overwhelming. The blonde girl with pink cheeks, warm brown eyes, and a smile that could melt her heart was the best thing that had happened to her. What would she do without her? Biting her lip, Carmilla tried to stop thinking about that. She could feel the tingle of tears starting to form in her eyes and this was definitely not a place where she wanted to have an emotional breakdown. Clearing her throat, she asked Laura in as light a voice as she could, if anything on the menu looked particularly good. She got a pearly white smile in return before she spouted off a list of different items, and things were almost back to normal. Almost being the key word. Laura had noticed how quiet she was being today, and so when they were about halfway through their meal, she decided to ask one of the many questions still sitting at the back of her mind. 

“Have you been thinking about when you wanted to go see your Dad?” She asked, cutting a piece off of her waffle. “You haven’t really mentioned it since we got here.”

Laura stopped mid-chew on her slice of cantaloupe and stared down at the white table cloth. Both girls were quiet for a few moments before the blonde finished chewing and swallowed, then set her fork down on her napkin. 

“I’ve been thinking about it.” She replied slowly. “And I’ve been putting it off.”

Carmilla frowned. “How come? You were so excited to be able to see him again before we left Austria. What changed?”

Laura nodded and started fiddling with her fingers in her lap. “I know, I was. But the more I think about it, the more nervous I get.”

“He’s your Dad, Cupcake. There’s no need to be nervous.”

“I know.” She repeated. “But I can’t help it.”

Setting her own silverware down for the moment, showing that she was listening and had her full attention on Laura. “What exactly are you nervous about?”

Laura opened her mouth to speak, then closed it, as if she needed to think about what she was going to say. A few moments went by before she finally actually spoke.

“First he lost my Mom, then he lost me. He was a mess before, and I’m scared he’ll be worse now.”

Carmilla reached across the tabled and placed her hand on top of her girlfriend’s. “But now he’s getting back someone he thought he’d lost. If it is bad...then there’s nowhere to go but up.”

Laura nodded again slowly as she thought about it that way. Yes, Carmilla was right. The sooner he knew that she was okay, the better it would be. She didn’t want to put him through anymore pain than he had already been through. And even if things were really bad, she could help him get back on track. Finally, she raised her gaze and met Carmilla’s eyes.

“Tomorrow. I’d like to see him then, if that’s okay?”

Carmilla gave a small reassuring smile. “Of course. Whatever you want.”

Laura turned her hand over in Carmilla’s and threaded their fingers together as best as she could at that angle. “Um, he works. So he won’t be home until the evening.”

“Okay. We can go after dinner then.”

There. That was it. It was decided. For the first time in nearly two months, Laura would see her Dad again. For any normal person, it wasn’t that long of a period of time. It typically goes by pretty quickly. But so much had happened. The girl had been kidnapped, put into slavery, bought, fallen in love, survived an attack. Hectic to say the least, and she had no idea how the girl was going to explain everything. A little part of her even hoped that she wouldn’t have to. That maybe her just finally being back home would be enough. But that wasn’t realistic, even Carmilla knew that. She just had to hope that her Dad wouldn’t come hunt her down after finding out. That was her number one goal right now, not dying by the hands of her girlfriend’s Dad.


	36. Day 47

After a thirty minute drive north to the township of York, Laura sat in Carmilla’s candy apple red Mustang right outside of her childhood home. It looked exactly the same as she left it not that long ago, and she didn’t know it that comforted her or disappointed her. Or both. As she stared at the small house in the middle of the long block of nearly identical houses with faded paint, overgrown grass, and cracked cement driveways, after she’s seen just how the other half lives, she realizes just how poor she really was. Right now in this fancy car, they stuck out like a sore thumb amongst beat up sedans and barely held-together bikes chained to porches. The rumble of the engine cut and they sat in silence for a few moments. Laura taking in the fact that she was finally back home, a place where at one point not that long ago, she never thought she would see again. She swallowed hard, trying to get her emotions in check, not wanting to break down in front of him in case it may cause some worry. But the fact that she wasn’t sure she was ready to have the conversation she knew was going to happen was making her nervous still. Yeah, she used to be able to talk to her Dad about pretty much anything, but this was different.

“You okay?” Carmilla asked, reaching over and tucking a lock of blonde hair behind Laura’s ear, before letting her thumb stroke her cheek.

She nodded, putting her hand over Carmilla’s before bringing it down to rest in her lap.

Laura almost asked her girlfriend to come with her, but they had already had this discussion the night before. As soon as her Dad found out that Carmilla owned his daughter, there was no telling what he would do. She’s never seen her Dad angry to the point of going after someone, but she had no trouble imagining it happening this time. It was best if it was just Laura there when she dealt him that blow. And she could admit to herself that she did kind of just want time alone with him for a little while.  Maybe once everything was sorted and he had enough time to cool down, he could meet Carmilla. But until then, it would be just the two of them. Taking back her hand, Carmilla reached into her jacket, getting the attention of Laura, and taking a new phone out of her pocket and handing it out to her.

“I got you this.” She said, urging her to take it. “It’s got my number, Perry’s, and even Kirsch’s in there.”

Laura nodded, taking the phone into her hands. She had texted and played games on Carmilla’s before, so she knew how it worked. She just never expected that she would get one for herself, knowing how expensive they are. But who was she kidding? Four hundred dollars is nothing to Carmilla, who had an inheritance bigger than she could even imagine. Four hundred dollars to Laura...well, that would be at least six months worth of food money if they were frugal. Thinking for a moment, she hoped that If there was anything good thing that came out of her not being home, it was that he had taken the opportunity to eaten more at meals. Without another mouth to feed, there was no doubt that he could have more energy and actually look like a healthy guy. But she suspected that wouldn’t be the case. Her Dad wasn’t the type to do that, he was the type to eat even less because he gets so depressed that he just doesn’t even care. There were many times over the years that she pretty much forced him to eat something just to keep him sitting up. The scary thing that she had no problem in imagining was him just sitting in his recliner in the living room, withering away. Because with both his wife and daughter gone, what was there to keep going for?

“I’ll only be a text or call away.” Carmilla’s voice continued, permeating her thoughts.

She looked over at the girl and gave a small smile. “Where will you be?”

“Oh, not far.” She said lightly. “I’m sure I can find a park somewhere around here to bide my time.”

It was comforting knowing that Carmilla wouldn’t be too far away, but this wasn’t exactly a good neighborhood, what with crime having only gone up year after year, she was sure Carmilla could tell by the bullet holes in the sides of her neighbor’s car, or the collection of obnoxiously barking dogs down the street. But her support, without any commentary or signs of being uncomfortable helped. She knows it’s something that her girlfriend is definitely not used to, but her not making a big deal about it mattered more than she knew. Laura grew up here. It’s her home. Yeah, it’s most certainly not the best place to be at night, or even now during the day, but it was a part of her. It helped mold her into who she is today.

“You know we don’t have to do this today if you aren’t ready after all.”

Laura shook her head. “Sorry, I just got lost in my thoughts. I’m ready.”

Ready as she’ll ever be, that is. Unbuckling her seat belt, she pocketed her new phone in her jacket, and focused her gaze back on Carmilla. Leaving her presence was a bit nerve wracking. Literally ninety-nine percent of their time over the last month and a half, they’ve been together, only an arm's length away. Her girlfriend had become sort of like a safety blanket, and having that taken away was making her anxious. But like she had said, she’s only a text away. It’s not like she was dropping her off here and leaving her forever. They would see each other again in just a few hours,or however this reunion lasted. So she leaned over and gave Carmilla one last firm kiss, then got out of the car. She took a deep breath as she crossed the street and started up the path, flipping one end of her scarf around her neck to hide her collar. Once she made it to the door, she fought the urge to turn around and look at Carmilla for reassurance, who was still sitting there in the car. She could do this. Just keep taking deep breaths and it would all be fine. She bit her lip as and froze as she looked at the scuffed and worn wooden door.

Should she knock? Ring the doorbell? She didn’t have her keys anymore, but she knew where the spare was always kept. She didn’t want to let herself in and give him a heart attack...so she decided to knock. Letting out a slow breath, hoping to calm her nervous heartbeat, she waited. And waited. Checking her watch, she knew that if he had the same job, he would definitely be home now, and it’s not like he ever went out anywhere except to the store. She knocked again, this time a little louder, and not long after she heard rustling inside before the lock on the other side was flipped and the door creaked open. Her Dad, the man she’s known for almost eighteen years, stood before her. He looked relatively the same as the last time she’d seen him. Maybe a few more forehead lines and gray hairs at his temples, but he still had the same sunken, tired eyes and baggy clothes. It didn’t take long for him to realize that it was her, and his lips parted to say something, but was silent for a few moments...probably trying to discern it this was actually happening. Hell, they both kind of were.

“Laura.” He finally said with a gruff voice, and staring at her with wide eyes.

The blonde nearly burst into tears at the sight of him, her whole attempt to hold back her intense emotions failing.. “Hi, Daddy.”

She didn’t know which of them moved first, but next thing Laura knew, she was in her Dad’s arms, being hugged tightly against his chest. She vaguely registered the sound of Carmilla’s car pulling away from the curb and down the street, giving them their privacy now that she knew the blonde would be in good hands. She didn’t know how long they stayed like that, but she wasn’t complaining. She was home, and right now, that’s all that mattered. Finally, he pulled back from her, setting his hands on her shoulders, squeezing them gently.

“Wha...what are you doing here? I thought that I’d never see you again.” He said, still looking at her in disbelief.

She breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s a bit of a long story.”

He nodded before realizing they were still standing outside in the chilly weather. “Come in, come in, honey.”

She was ushered into the house that was so familiar, yet felt detached from now. It smelled mostly the same, with a stronger tinge of alcohol there now than before, the carpet felt the same under her feet as she walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa, and the TV crackled with slight static as the local evening news was just wrapping up.

“Are you thirsty? Do you want some tea? Water? Are you hungry? I can make you a sandwich.” He rambled on, obviously not knowing what to do or say.

“Dad. It’s okay, I’m fine.” She said, reaching to take off her scarf, but stopped, remembering that her collar was around her neck.

“I’m sorry, honey, I just...how are you here?” He asked as she sat down in his recliner, but facing her instead of the TV.

She frowned at him with confusion and curiosity. He was talking like she hadn’t just disappeared into thin air while overseas. It seemed like he knew something. But what?

“I...do you know what happened to me?” She asked, not entirely prepared for the answer that she might get.

He was quiet for what seemed like forever, then finally nodded. “A little, yes. I know that you were taken and sold into slavery...but that’s it.”

“How? I don’t even know why they picked me up. It’s illegal to kidnap people and turn them into slaves.”

Her Dad lowered his eyes and sighed, staring at his rough hands in his lap. “It’s my fault.”

“It’s no one’s fault but the assholes who took me, pardon my language.”

He shook his head, then stood, rubbing his scruff with his hand, making a scratchy sound. “Honey. It _is_ my fault.”

“What are you talking about?”

He was acting...guilty. And not just as if he was only a parent that blamed himself for her daughter getting kidnapped. He did know something, and Laura was getting even more anxious as he started to pace back and forth across the small living room.

“I...owed some debts.” He finally admitted. “I had been taking loans for years, to keep you in school so that you would have a chance at a better life. When you’re Mom died, it was harder to keep up with paying them back, and they piled up. Finally they just had enough and told me to pay up before a certain date, or else. They knew I wouldn’t have the money though.” He stopped at the mantle of the fireplace now, anger showing on his face. “They must have spied on us or something because how else would they have known you would be in Austria looking at a school?”

Wait. Laura frowned again, thinking back to when she was on the fence about going to Austria just to look at a college, but he had been so insisting that she did as he asked.

“You didn’t send me to Austria just to look at the college, did you?”

He turned and looked at her and shook his head. “I didn’t have anything to my name except this house...and you. So yes, I sent you away, hoping that the distance would protect you. Obviously my attempt failed miserably.”

“I wish you would have just told me you were in trouble. When they grabbed me I thought I was going to get murdered or something.”

Yes, she would have liked to have known what was going on, but at the the same time, she understands why her Dad did what he did. Laura just wished that he didn’t think he had to carry that burden on his shoulders alone. She doesn’t know what she would have done. Maybe they could have just given the house to the people her Dad owed, and a neighbor or friend could have let them stay with them for a little while. It would have been worth a shot. But things had worked out a much different way, and to be honest, she was pretty sure that she wouldn’t change anything, knowing what she does now.

“You still haven’t answered my question.” He spoke again, bringing her out of her thoughts.

“Hm?”

“How are you here? You were taken into slavery. The only way would have been if they freed you.”

She hated to squash the hope in his eyes, but she wasn’t going to lie to him.

Laura nodded slowly. “Yes, I was bought. No, I’m not free.”

Wow, she really had no idea how to go about this conversation. He took the few steps over to her and pulled her scarf aside, revealing the collar. Before she could say anything, he (a little bit too roughly) unbuckled it and took it off, tossing it on the coffee table with a clatter.

“You’re not wearing that in my house.”

She nodded again, then rubbed at her neck.

“So where is he?” He demanded more than asked, going over to the window and looking out the blinds. "Couldn’t face me like a man?”

“ _She_ wanted to give us privacy.”

He laughed humorlessly and let go of the blinds, letting them snap back into place. “I honestly don’t know whether I should be more relieved that it’s a woman or not.”

Laura didn’t know what to say to that.

“What’s her name?”

She paused, then asked slowly. “Why do you want to know that?”

The fire in his eyes flared up again. “I need to know the name of the woman who bought my daughter.”

There was no time to weigh the pros and cons of him knowing. Besides, Carm was safe. She wasn’t here where he could get her, so what would be the harm?

“Her name is Carmilla Karnstein, and she’s-”

“Karnstein?” He said angrily, raising his voice, recognizing the name immediately. “Laura, the Karnsteins is some of the most vile people-”

“Carmilla isn’t like her Mother. She’s different.”

“Yet she still bought you.”

He wanted that barb to sting, and it did. Not just because he was wrong, but that he didn’t even try to believe her. But that wasn’t going to stop her from trying to get him to understand.

“She just wanted a friend.” Laura defended, starting to get emotional again. “I agree that her Mother is vile, but if you knew all the things she’s done to Carmilla, then you’d understand more.”

“Sweetie, do you realize how you sound? You are literally that girl’s _property_.”

“On paper, yes.” She admitted. “But she doesn’t treat me like that. Carmilla is the opposite of everything you’re probably thinking.”

He scoffed. “Laura, you’re Mom and I didn’t raise you like this. We taught you how wrong slave culture is, and even now that you’re in it, you’re defending the person that owns you! Why are you acting like this?”

A tear escaped and ran down her face. Maybe she was crazy. Maybe she was defying everything that she’d been taught. But she wasn’t going to turn on Carmilla. Not after all that she’s witnessed and felt over the past month and a half. So she told the God’s honest truth.

“Because I love her.”

Silence permeated the air between them for a few moments, only the static of the TV making noise in the background.

“God, she’s really brainwashed you, hasn’t she?” He said, exasperated.

This time anger flared up inside of her, and she did what she could to restrain herself from raising her voice too loud.

“I’m not brainwashed!” She argued, her voice cracking as she stood up. “You realize that I could have been bought by a guy as old as you to be used as his sex toy? To be treated like an animal?”

He made a disgusted face, and turned away from his daughter, gripping the mantel of the fireplace hard enough that his knuckles went white.

“But instead I was bought by a kind-hearted girl who just wanted to be loved by someone. From the very beginning, Carmilla has never forced me to do anything that I didn’t want to do. She’s gone above and beyond to make me happy, so don’t you dare accuse her of brainwashing me.”

Another hot tear trailed down her face and she wiped it away quickly as she waited for his reply.

“And are you? Happy?” He asked in a flat tone after a few moments had passed.

“As happy as I could have been without you. But she gave me that too. I didn’t even ask to come back here, it was her idea in the first place.” Calming herself, she sat back down on the sofa. “I wouldn’t have ever seen you again if I had been bought by someone else, and you know that.”

He slapped his free hand against his leg, already exhausted by this conversation. “What do you want from me, Laura? To thank her for not hurting you? To ignore the fact that she owns you and has somehow convinced you to love her despite that?”

Looking up at him then, Laura knew that there was no way to make him believe, at least today, that she could have fallen in love with the girl, despite their circumstances.

“She didn’t have to convince me.”

Running his hand through his shaggy brown and gray hair, he seems to have given up and resigned to the fact that this was just how it is now. But the next thing that came out of his mouth hit her like a punch to the stomach.

“I don’t know who you are anymore…”

How could he say that to her? She understood that her situation wasn’t ideal...but she was here. Shouldn’t that be what matters most right now? There was no stopping the new pool of tears that welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. She heard her Dad sigh before he walked across the room, through the kitchen, and down the hall to his bedroom, where she heard the door shut forcefully. Squeezing her eyes shut, the tears streamed down her face as her body was racked with silent sobs. Not wanting him to hear her crying, Laura pulled herself together as much as she could, she walked over to the kitchen table and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. She had to leave. They both needed time to process everything that was said. And while she was very hurt and didn’t want him to think that she left with no intention to come back...she just couldn’t bring herself to write him a note. She was too emotional, too angry to leave a message that didn’t devolve into a rant of some sort. She slid the paper back to the middle of the table and tossed the pen on it before she turned and headed for the front door, only stopping to pick up her collar from the coffee table and snapping it back on, before pulling her new phone out of her pocket to text Carmilla.

_Laura (6:07pm): Please come pick me up._

Not ten seconds later, her phone vibrated in her hands with the reply.

_Carmilla (6:07pm): On my way._

She sat on the porch for ten minutes before the rumble of the car was heard as it came down the street and pulled up along the curb. She let out a big sigh of relief, and got up, making her way over to the car, more than ready to fall into her girlfriend’s arms. Once she got in and closed the door behind her, she wasted no time in nearly thrusting herself into Carmilla’s lap, stick shift jabbing her in the hip be damned.

“Cupcake, what happened?” Carmilla asked concerned, rubbing Laura’s back as she held her.

Sniffling, she buried her face further into the crook of her girlfriend’s neck. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay.” She replied softly.

Laura silently thanked Carmilla for not pushing her to talk, and patiently waiting her her to calm down. It took a few minutes, but when her breathing was finally back to normal, she pulled away. Carmilla didn’t hesitate in wiping away the remaining tear stains on her cheeks before helping her sit back into the passenger seat.

When they got back to the hotel, Laura shed her scarf, coat, and shoes before climbing into the bed. Carmilla turned the bedside lamp on before turning off the overhead lights, and then did the same, crawling into bed after she’d left her clothes on the floor. She welcomed her girlfriend as she cuddled up behind her, ready to rest her face against the back of her neck like she usually does, but paused this time. Before she could wonder why, she remembered the collar that was still around her neck. She had forgotten to take it on in the haste to just get in bed and mope. She felt Carmilla reach up and unlatched it, then heard her toss it onto the pile they’d left behind at the side of the bed. Carmilla then kissed Laura’s neck before resuming her position, holding her tight. The girl didn’t know what had been said between her and Father, but knew it was enough to make her upset. She would explain what happened later when she could talk without crying. For now, she just needed to let herself feel. Get all her sad and angry emotions out before she even thought about trying to talk to him again. But she couldn’t shake the memory of the look on his face when she told him that she loved Carmilla.

She didn’t know what would have been worse at this point. Him not knowing where she was after being sold into slavery, or knowing and being disgusted that she loved her owner. With the first scenario, his imagination could have gotten the better of him and drove him mad. He would have been thinking that some gross middle-aged guy now owned and used her as nothing more than a sex toy. But now he had the knowledge of exactly who owned her and a brief idea of their relationship. Laura decided that yes, it was better for all of them that he knew what was really going on. Maybe he just needed some time to take it all in. Laura hoped that if enough time went by, he would be more open to meeting Carmilla and seeing that she wasn’t anything like what her Mother’s reputation made people believe she’d be like. There was nothing more that she wanted then for her Dad to understand where Carmilla comes from, because she knows that if she wasn’t her owner and just some girl that she’d fallen for, he would have tremendous empathy for her and do everything to make her feel welcome to the family. That was the end goal for now, and it was just a matter of how they would get there.


	37. Day 52

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Brief reference of past self-harm.

Five days after Laura’s visit with her Dad came the blonde’s birthday. Still, the girl hadn’t said anything about it, and Carmilla wouldn’t doubt that she had just forgot, what with everything that happened recently. She wished things had gone better with her Dad, and it obviously affected her heavily. Her girlfriend who had recently been itching to get out of bed and the hotel room now choose to actually stay in bed for the first two days after the confrontation. Carmilla tried to give her some space (as much as she could when sharing a hotel room), but at the same time letting her know that she was there for her. On the third day, Carmilla decided to take a different approach. She’d set up her canvas and got Laura out of bed and on the floor so they could paint something together. That seemed to be the start of snapping her out of it, and thought she wasn’t quite there yet, it was at least better than it was before. The day after that, they cuddled in bed while looking at Toronto housing and apartment listings, then went down the street and ate at a restaurant for dinner. Both needed some air since they were getting really tired of the hotel environment. 

Even though room service was great to have, they wanted their own place once and for all. Carmilla set up meetings for the coming days to see the places they had found on internet listings and picked out, and that only seemed to get Laura back on track more than anything. So today’s plan was to hopefully continue with trying to take the blonde’s mind off of what was upsetting her, and give her a good birthday in the process. It started with breakfast. Carmilla had gone back and forth about what she had wanted to do. Go out? Stay in? Eventually she decided that staying in would be best. She would ease the girl into the day and see how it went from there. She ordered a big breakfast full of pancakes, eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, fruit, and orange juice. When it was ready, Carmilla opened the door for the man who quietly wheeled it all in on a shiny silver cart. She gave him a tip and closed the door behind him to quickly to get it set up before the smell woke Laura up. She took the wooden bed tray out from underneath the lower level of the cart and carefully placed all the food she could on it before setting the legs on either side of her girlfriend’s waist.

It took a few tries to wake her, but once she was aware of the delicious smell that permeated the room, it didn’t take any more convincing. The blonde sat up with a dumbfounded look on her face as she read the stack of three pancakes that said:  “Happy Birthday, Laura!” written in thin lines of chocolate syrup. A grin stretched across her face, and she reached up and wrapped her hand around the back of Carmilla’s neck to bring her down for a kiss. They had only kissed on the lips once or twice in the past five days, so getting that back seemed to be a good sign.

“I wish I could brag that I made them, but alas, it was the hotel kitchen.”

“It’s the thought that counts.” Laura replied, her voice raw from sleep, before settling in and trying to decide where to start.

Carmilla set the orange juice on the nightstand for the blonde to have easy access, then turned to gather her clothes. “I’m going to take a shower.”

Laura swallowed a biteful of hashbrowns before replying with a frown. “You’re not going to eat it with me?”

She raised an eyebrow. “It’s  _ your _ birthday breakfast, Cupcake.”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t share. Come and help me eat all this.”

Carmilla bit her lip. Well, it  _ was _ a lot of food for one person, and two forks did come with the tray. It would be a shame not to use it...

“As you wish.”

So for the next thirty minutes they ate while watching the TV, occasionally feeding each other a bite or planting a kiss on the other’s lips or cheek. It was the most Carmilla had seen Laura smile all week, so she tried to make it last as long as she could. Eventually, when the food was mostly finished and both of them were full, Carmilla put what was left on the cart and left it outside their door for it to be picked up. Stretching, all she wanted to do was get back in bed with her girlfriend and continue to watch cartoons, but they had had the last few days to do exactly that. Today was about inserting themselves back into the real world with some fun activities. So instead of flopping back into the bed with no intention of getting back up for a while, Carmilla gently sat on the edge of the bed and spoke to Laura.

“You want to shower first or shall I?”

Laura bit her lip and a few seconds later, her cheeks started to show the signs of blushing. “You know...we could always shower together.” She suggested shyly. “Saving time  _ and _ water.”

Carmilla froze, a million thoughts flashing through her mind. Out of anything that Laura could have said, that was the last thing that she ever would have guessed the blonde would suggest.

“Not in a sexual way.” The blonde clarified quickly. “Just two people. Cleaning themselves. Together.”

Carmilla wanted to. God, she  _ really _ wanted to. But there was still the issue of her body. It wasn’t perfect. And not by body type or anything, but her skin in certain places was marred. Marred with scars that represented the weakest, most sad, and angry moments of her life. She herself still hated them and did her best not to look at them, so how could she let Laura see them? The only other person who’d had that privilege, although definitely not Carmilla’s choice, was Perry. And she knew exactly the way the curly-haired woman looked at her when she first saw them, and every time after when she checked for new markings. She didn’t want Laura to look at her that way. Not until she could tell her about them in the first place and voice her feelings about being afraid to be that vulnerable. So something as innocent as just showering together, no pressure to do anything else, would have to wait...

“I would love to, but-”

“-But you’re not ready for that kind of intimacy.”

“I just...it’s not  _ you _ . I’m just really insecure about parts of my body. Scars and things.” She whispered.

It was more information than she thought she would share, but she wanted Laura to know there was a big reason she wasn’t ready for that step yet. And the look on Laura’s face went from insecure to understanding in an instant.

“Okay.” Laura replied. “I won’t push you to do anything..”

Carmilla knew that Laura would never do such a thing, but it was nice to hear in that gentle voice of hers. Nodding, she leaned over and left a lingering kiss on her cheek before getting up and collecting clean clothes to change into, but before she entered the bathroom, Laura’s voice stopped her one final time, and she turned around to face her again.

“You know that I don’t care about that kind of stuff, right? I love you. All of you. And I’d never judge.”

Carmilla smiled. “I know. It’s just me that cares. I guess…” She fidgeted with the clothes in her hand for a few moments. “I still feel shame about it.”

She wondered if that would make any sense to Laura, not having known where the scars she was referencing came from. She would probably just assume they were from her Mother, and a lot were, but the fact of the matter was that the ones she feels most ashamed about are the ones she gave herself.

“Whenever you’re ready.”

And it was left at that.

Once she was done showering, Laura hopped in. She blow-dried her hair in the bedroom as she watched a local TV station that was reporting the predicted weather for the day. It would be a bit warmer during the day, seeing as how it’s in the middle of Spring, but still chilly. She couldn’t wait til Summer, wanting to be able to take walks around the lake without getting cold too soon. Turning off the blow-drier, she set it aside and started to comb her hair, getting up and looking out the window as she did so. The sky was overcast. Since she didn’t know much about Toronto, she had done a little bit of research of weather patterns. Apparently Spring time is a rainy season, however, she hoped the sun would make an appearance sometime during the day, even though they won’t be outside too much. She had compiled a short list of places that she thought Laura might be interested in going. Since the girl had had a great time museum hopping in Graz, Carmilla imagined that she would like to see more things here in her hometown that she never got to before. As Laura switched places with her, Carmilla booted up her laptop and made a tab for each of the choices so her girlfriend could choose accordingly.

She hadn’t noticed that she started to doze off until the bed dipped at her feet, then at her knees, then at her waist, before Laura gently sat on her. Carmilla opened her eyes to a cute smile framed by damp hair. She raised an eyebrow as she rested hands on the top of the blonde’s thighs.

“May I help you?”

Laura smiled bigger, this time showing her teeth. “Mm, possibly.”

She leaned down then and captured Carmilla’s lips with her own. Despite their position, the kiss was innocent. Light and sweet, even though cold strands of damp hair clung to her cheeks.

“You should go blow-dry your hair, or else it’ll turn to ice when we go outside.”

“Oh, it’s not that cold outside. Is it…?”

“You want to take your chances?”

Laura bit her bottom lip for a moment before releasing it and scrunching her eyebrows together. “Wait, why are we going outside?”

Carmilla rolled her eyes. “Because it’s your birthday, dork. Need another batch of breakfast to remind you?”

Laura rolled off of her lap and fell onto the bed next to her, groaning. “Oh, God, don’t mention food for another few hours. Just hearing that word makes my stomach hurt.”

Carmilla turned on her side and propped her head up with her hand before continuing her thought. “And you could use some fresh air.”

“Ugh, fine.” The blonde said dramatically. “What did you have in mind?”

“Well, it’s really up to you, but I came up with a few things to choose from.”

Grabbing her laptop again, she woke it from it’s sleep and turned the screen towards Laura, who scooted closer to her and rest her head on Carmilla’s shoulder.

The first tab was for the Canadian Air and Space Museum, which is exactly what it sounds like: a museum of aviation. In the second tab was the Ontario Science Centre. Again, self-explanatory. The third tab was for the Royal Ontario Museum, a museum of art, world culture and natural history. And then the fourth tab was for the Toronto Sculpture Garden. She had just randomly found it looking for things to do and wanted to suggest it for a summer activity, which she informed Laura of when moving to that tab.

“There were a lot more places we could have gone, but I figured these were the ones you would be most interested in. Unless I’m completely wrong and you want to go to the Hockey Hall of Fame?”

Laura gave Carmilla a look, which made her chuckle.

“So, any call out to you?”

She nodded. “The third one. The building itself...old merged with new is quite amazing.” Laura said, looking at the image. “See, if Graz had done something like this with the Kunsthaus, it would be a lot more visually tolerable.”

Carmilla let herself laugh again. They would never let that damn building live it down.

“Well then, finish getting ready and we can go.”

After practically rolling Laura out of bed, the girl dried her hair, put some shoes on, and the two headed out. The actual drive wasn’t too long, considering the traffic, and when they made it to the location, both stood across the street and looked up in awe at the Royal Ontario Museum. It was stunning, not only because of it’s sheer size, but the design quite literally popped out, and the glass and silver panels reflected the dim light of the grey sky. Carmilla could only imagine what it would look like gleaming in the sun on a summer’s day. The new slightly overlapped an large, old church. The museum is one of the largest in North America, and the largest in Canada...according to the Wikipedia page Carmilla had briefly looked at. She would have gaped longer, but Laura’s hand slipped into hers and pulled her across the street when there was a break in traffic. There was a line out the door to get in, but thankfully it wasn’t that long, and they were inside within ten minutes. And for the next few hours, they saw everything from dinosaur bones and fossils, to Chinese sculptures and Korean pottery, to paintings of political figures and suits of armor.

It was impossible to look at every single thing, but they could always come back another day. When they took a break for a late lunch, Carmilla asked what Laura wanted and where they should go. Both of their feet hurt, so the blonde chose to just take a pizza back to the hotel so they could eat and rest a little bit. It sounded perfect, so Carmilla had no objection to it. Not like she would have anyway, it was Laura’s day after all. By the time they got back, their mouths were watering from the delicious smell, and Laura barely made it through the door before nearly ripping the box open and pulling a piece out. Too lazy to call and ask room service for some plates, they ate out of the box that sat in the middle of the bed as they continued when they left off on FRIENDS. Four episodes later, they were both full and had cuddled up together.

“Are you sure you don’t want some dessert?” Carmilla asked, kissing Laura’s temple.

“Ugh. Maybe later. Dessert always goes best with dinner anyway.”

She smiled. “If you say so.”

A few moments later when by and the episode ended, Laura got up and stretched. “Pause it? I want to change into my PJs.”

Carmilla paused it, but stopped her. “You can’t. Not yet.”

“Uh?”

“There’s one more surprise.”

The blonde raised an eyebrow.

“Well, it’s for tonight. So unless you want to have to change back later…”

Laura let out an exaggerated sigh and flopped back in bed. “If you insist.”

Carmilla rolled her eyes.

“You know you don’t have to take me anywhere else. Today was already really nice. I’ve never got to do anything like this on a birthday before.”

“Are you saying that you don’t want to go to the aquarium after hours, when we have the whole place to ourselves? Okay…”

“What!?” Laura squeaked. “How?”

“I made a few calls. I was quite easy, really.”

“You sneak!” She replied before playfully tackling Carmilla so that her back hit the mattress and she was on top.

“So you do want to go?”

Laura bit her lip, trying to contain her smile. “I mean...I suppose I  _ could _ …”

Carmilla reached up and gently tickled her girlfriend’s side, mindful that it’s still probably sore, before Laura collapsed on her completely in a fit of giggles. She wrapped her arms around her squirming body and held her close as she felt light kisses at her neck. Seconds later, the blonde settled, breathing in the moment before sitting up enough to where they were face to face.

“I love you.”

Carmilla smirked. “I know.”

Laura rolled her eyes, trying to hold back a smile. “Tell me you love me too.”

“It’s not romantic if you  _ demand _ it.” She teased. “But who am I to not fulfill such an easy request?”

Carmilla leaned forward and placed a light kiss on Laura’s lips.

“I love you, too.” She whispered, even though it was moment like this that they felt like they were the only people in the world.

When the sun had set and after they had a late dinner at a fancy restaurant, Carmilla arguing that she wanted to treat her to at least one nice celebratory meal today, they walked the few blocks to the aquarium. It closed at eleven, and they made it to the doors where one of the employees was waiting for them at eleven-thirty. After showing him her ID, they were let in. Most the lights were dimmed because it was after hours, but Carmilla thought that it actually made it more romantic. They slowly made their way through the galleries as light classical music played through the speakers above, as per Carmilla’s request. In the Rainbow Reef gallery, she specifically pointed out the Blue Tang Fish, liking that one specifically because of Finding Nemo. Laura though had no idea what movie she was talking about, and Carmilla mentally bumped watching it to the top of their to-do list, knowing that her girlfriend will love it. Planet Jellies was probably Carmilla’s favorite section, feeling almost as if they were on another planet. The Ray Bay was her least favorite. Stingrays, with their creepy flat faces, freaked her out. But Laura was in awe, so that’s all that mattered.

In the Dangerous Lagoon gallery they walked through a glass tunnel that glowed blue, with sharks, turtles, and various kinds of fish swimming all around them. They stayed in there the longest, laying on the floor watching as they were mesmerized by the fluid movements. It was also here that Carmilla pulled a small wrapped package and container out of the backpack she was carrying with her. She handed the neatly wrapped square box to Laura, and somehow the girl contained herself enough not to blindly rip it open. She carefully pulled the taped flaps loose, and once it was free, stared at it. Carmilla saw a mixture of emotions cross the blonde’s face, and she really wasn’t sure if she liked it. At least, not until a smile took over and she saw tears in her eyes. For the second time that day, Laura tackled her, knocking her over, her back hitting the floor with a thump.

“That’s actually what it is, right?” Laura asked, unsure.

“Of course, Cupcake. It would be cruel of me if it weren’t.”

They embraced for a few more moments before they pulled away, but stayed close.

“I figured this would be better than you using your phone camera. If you’re going to take pictures or video, it may as well be in great quality.”

“I love it.”

“Good.” She leaned over and pecked Laura’s cheek, lingering for a moment, not being able to help herself. “Now, I don’t know if you’re up for dessert yet, but…I got you this.”

Carmilla picked up and opened the paper container, offering it to Laura.

“A cupcake for a Cupcake.”

“You think you’re so clever, don’t you?”

“I don’t think, I know.”

“Ugh, you’re unbearable.”

She shrugged, smiling wide. “But I have a feeling that you wouldn’t have me any other way.”


	38. Day 55

Laura jolted awake, her hands flying to shield her face from the blows that never came. Slowly, she let her hands fall and body relax into the bed, taking in her surroundings. The hotel room. Carmilla sleeping next to her. The slightest bit of light coming through the curtains to let her know that the sun was rising, bringing a new day. Swallowing hard, she gripped the sheet covering her and took deep breaths to calm down. This wasn’t the first time she’d had a nightmare about getting attacked again by Ms. Karnstein. In fact, it had happened every few days after they had left, and she knew why. Even though now the dreams were getting farther in between each other, that worry was still there in the back of her mind. They weren’t even on the same continent as the woman, but she still feared that she would come for them. Maybe Laura was worrying for nothing, but it was just something she couldn’t quite seem to shake. Her first nightmare had been the worst, waking up screaming and flailing, nearly knocking Carmilla out. She had been forced to confess because of it, and while her girlfriend tried to reassure her that they were going to be fine, Laura knew that Carmilla had the same doubts. 

Since that first night, she’s only woken up with her heart pounding and forehead sweating, so it was easy to keep from Carmilla that she was still having bad dreams. She hated keeping it a secret, but she wasn’t having them as often now, and she didn’t want to make the girl worry any more than she probably already was. Because really, what good would it do? She just wanted things to be normal, and they were so close to that goal she could almost taste it. Sliding out of bed, careful not to wake Carmilla, Laura gathered a change of clothes and slipped into the bathroom, the door quietly clicking closed behind her. She’d showered last night, but every time she had a nightmare, there was that overwhelming urge to wash herself off. Like she was shedding the sweat along with the bad dream and starting the day fresh. So she did. And when she exited the bathroom an hour later, fully dressed with mostly dried hair, she crawled back into bed and wrapped her arm around Carmilla, resting her chin on her shoulder. Minus how she woke up, Laura was probably in the best mood she’s been since the day she had seen her Dad again. She just hoped it wouldn't end the same way, though there was very unlikely.

She tried to push that thought from her mind because it was something she was still upset about, but decided that she needed to give him some time to let the new information about her soak in before she reached out to him again. At times she regretted not leaving her number, but the thought of him having it and never calling would make her more sad. He was very stubborn, and she knew that when she reached out again, he wouldn’t be able to say no. She was his only daughter after all. And while part of her wanted to call him right this second, she knew she had to give herself some time too. Anger still simmered beneath the surface, and she didn’t want it to be there when they talked next, knowing it would only push her to argue. Even though she understood why he was so upset, the last thing she wanted to do was have to defend her love for Carmilla when she knew he wouldn’t be receptive of it. What was the point in trying to convince someone who absolutely refuses to see from her perspective? He doesn’t know their relationship like he thinks he does, and she’s doubtful he ever will. But Laura still held out a sliver of hope that one day they could all be a family unit, and not just tolerating each other because they both have one person in common. She was always a big dreamer, even if the odds were against her. This was no different.

Kissing Carmilla’s exposed shoulder, she brought her mind back to the present, not to what had happened in the past or what would happen in the future. It was a big day today, and she wasn’t going to let anything, even her own thoughts, ruin it. But the longer she waited for her girlfriend to wake up, the more anxious she got. If only Carmilla was more of a morning person. Finally after twenty minutes of not so patiently waiting, she couldn’t take it any longer.

“Carm?” She asked quietly, kissing the spot below her ear and rubbing her thumb along the waist of her pajamas.

When she received no response, she continued her trail of kisses down her girlfriend’s neck, sucking lightly at a spot she had found to be sensitive. That earned her a swift intake of breath and a groan. Grinning, knowing she got Carmilla’s attention, she worked her way back up along the other side of her jaw, finishing with a peck to her cheek.

“You know what to today is?” She asked, quietly.

“Hm?” Carmilla inquired, arms reaching around Laura to pull her closer.

“Moving day.”

Carmilla groaned again, this time not in pleasure but irritation. “What time is it?”

“Time for you to wake up!”

Laura pushed herself up from the bed, pecked Carmilla’s lips with her own, and practically threw the covers off the bed, which prompted Carmilla to bury her head underneath her pillow. She could be such a child sometimes, but it was a part of what made her cute. However, Laura had no time for ‘cute’ today when they could be moving into their new apartment. She was sick and tired of the hotel room. Sure room service was cool and people changed your bed sheets and washed your towels for you, but she was going stir-crazy. First she had been forced to rest for weeks because of her injury, then she hadn’t wanted to go anywhere and wallowed in her self pity, refusing to leave the bed. Sure, the latter what her fault, but she hadn’t exactly wanted to go out and do anything when she felt like crying all the time. Now...she wasn’t over what had happened, but she needed to continue going forward. Her and Carmilla were actually going to start a life together, and after the roller coaster of emotions and events that they experienced since they met, they both deserved to be happy. And nothing seemed to make each other happier than the other. The only thing that could make it better, other than her Dad, was if she were free.

It was something usually easily put out of her mind...that is, until she had to put her collar on to go anywhere. She still had yet to get the courage to talk to Carmilla about it. Not because she was afraid her response would be anger, but learning the reason of why she hasn’t done it already. The question of ‘why’ circled around in her brain often. She wanted to know the answer so badly, but was she actually ready for it? She sometimes wondered if the only thing holding Carmilla back, was her. But still, she stayed silent. It wasn’t like it was entirely terrible. She reminded herself often that her situation was probably one in a million. She was treated with the utmost respect, never being forced to do anything she didn’t want to do. Hell, Carmilla offered her so much, and Laura felt like she gave so little in return. But she didn’t have much to give. She never had. She was the most valuable thing she had, and she gave herself to Carmilla fully and willingly. Yeah, they still had things they needed to talk about, but they had time. They were still getting to know each other after all, but it wasn’t like in the shows or movies where the characters play twenty questions.

Yes, sometimes they asked each other specific things, but a lot of the time they learned from observation. Laura knew quirky things like the way Carmilla held a spoon crooked was because she’d broken two of her fingers by falling out of a tree when she was younger (which had made her Mother furious). That crookedness tended to make her spill a drop of soup every time she went to put it in her mouth. Something that could easily be fixed if the girl tipped her wrist back a little, but wouldn’t. Just another way she was stubborn. Or that even though Carmilla hadn’t told her exactly where the scars on her body were that she was bothered by, Laura knew they must be somewhere on her thighs, because that one part of her body that she hadn’t seen. And whether Carmilla know it or not, she constantly tugs at her pajama shorts to make sure they are still covering the area. Laura had guessed by now that because she was so self conscious about those scars in particular, and not the ones on the rest of her body, that they were self-inflicted. Though she hoped that she was wrong about that one.

She didn’t know how long she had sat there thinking to herself, but it was long enough to where Carmilla huffed and grabbed the pillow off her head and tossed it to the end of the bed. She sat up slowly and with her eyes still closed, hair sticking out every which way. It reminded Laura of Nosferatu rising from his coffin, though less like scary vampire and more like an adorable cat. She stretched her limbs and yawned before opening her eyes and Laura met her with a smile. Every once in a while, Carmilla would tell her that it’s too early for smiling, but Laura disagreed. Especially since she couldn’t really help herself when looking at her cute girlfriend. Today, there was no more moaning and groaning about getting up too early. Laura thought that it must have sunk in that they would be moving into their new place today, and Carmilla smiled back before pushing her back onto the bed and crawling on top of her, giving her soft but long kisses, neither caring about morning breath. Only after a good five minutes of greeting each other properly, did Laura playfully push Carmilla off of her and insist she get showered and dressed. Within the next hour, she was presentable to the outside world, and they had packed all their bags to the brim.

“Is this everything?” Laura asked as Carmilla closed the door to their hotel room for the last time.

She knew Carmilla had done one last sweep before they had stepped out into the hall, but she wanted to make sure. They both looked at their belongings that fit in both hands and on their backs. All accounted for. They didn’t have much, but yes, it was everything.

“Yeah. Ready?”

Laura nodded. With their belongings in hand, they took the elevator down to the ground floor, Carmilla dropped off the room key, and then they stuffed everything into the candy apple-colored Mustang. It felt like they were going on a big adventure, but really, the new apartment was only about ten minutes away, and that was mostly because of traffic. When they arrived and took the elevator up a few stories, Laura was nearly bursting at the seams, but Carmilla stopped her from entering when she opened the door.

“Hold on, I’ve always wanted to do something.”

Carmilla tossed their bags into the apartment, earning a confused look from Laura before she leaned over and picked her up bridal style.

“Carm!” She squeaked, her arms circling her neck, not fighting this new development at all.

She didn’t know where Carmilla had seen the gesture, but it felt right. Crossing the threshold to the next chapter of their life, and she couldn’t wait to see what was in store for them on the other side.

/-/

_ Carmilla (1:00pm): How have things been over there? _

_ Perry (1:02pm): Lonely, to be honest. I see Kirsch every few days, but I must say, living alone isn’t quite as great as I thought that it would be. _

_ Carmilla (1:04pm): My offer for you to come here still stands. I wouldn’t have much of anything for you to do for me, but I’m sure there are more jobs available here than in Styria. _

_ Carmilla (1:04pm): And we just moved into our new apartment. It has a guest room just waiting to be used... _

_ Perry (1:07pm): I’m starting to seriously consider it. Even Kirsch is thinking about moving, although to where, he hasn’t decided. But my lease is for six months. _

_ Carmilla (1:08pm): I’m sure you could get out of it if you really wanted to. If not, I can be pretty convincing. _

_ Perry (1:11pm): I’ll think about it. Seriously this time. I do miss you and Laura. And I’ve never been to Canada. _

_ Carmilla (1:14pm): Perfect excuse to come then ;) _

_ /-/ _

_ J.P. (4:56pm): There are secret meetings set to happen in every country possible to discuss the plans of the anti-slavery movement. _

_ Carmilla (5:00pm): Hello to you too. When is this happening exactly? _

_ J.P. (5:02pm): Hey. Sorry. I just found out. It’s either happening at the end of this month or the beginning of next month. It will be decided soon though. And I don't know the location to tell you to go until a few hours before. For safety and secrecy reasons. _

_ Carmilla (5:03pm): Okay. Good to know this thing is still happening. You’ve been quiet about it since we left. _

_ J.P. (5:05pm): Yeah, things are constantly being worked out, and they’ve still had me going to events and gathering as much info as I can. Not very exciting stuff just yet.  _

_ Carmilla (5:06pm): I get it. How have you been? Minus the double agent activities, I mean. _

_ L.P. (5:08pm): Well, my parents are still furious at me for “letting you get away”. I wonder if they expected me to club you over the head and drag you back to my place, neanderthal style. _

_ Carmilla (5:09pm): Jesus. If I didn’t think they were desperate before, I sure do now. Sorry again that we just kind of left you with the aftermath... _

_ J.P. (5:13pm): And I’ll tell you again, don’t worry about it. My situation isn’t ideal, but yours was worse. My parents are overbearing and controlling, but they never abused me. You’re Mother really takes the cake for worst parent. _

_ Carmilla (5:15pm): Agreed. _

_ J.P. (5:16pm): I’ve got to get to finish up work, but I just wanted to let you know about the coming meeting. _

_ Carmilla (5:16pm): Thanks for the heads up. We’ll talk soon. _

_ J.P. (5:17pm): Tell Laura I said "hello". _

_ Carmilla (5:18pm): lol, you could tell her yourself, she’s got her own phone now. Ill text you the number later. _

_ J.P (5:18pm): Sounds good :) _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a while since I've updated, but for those who don't follow my Tumblr, I suggest you read this post because it's still relevant: http://ceceash.tumblr.com/post/141287303746/personalstory-update
> 
> Yes, I plan on finishing this story, I have not abandoned it.

**Author's Note:**

> 1) This should go without saying, but I want to clarify: I don't promote slavery in any way. Also, wait until the end of the story before you judge. 
> 
> 2) My fanfic Tumblr is ceceash.tumblr.com if you you have any questions, I'll answer them over there.


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